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Get Camera Ready For LinkedIn And Instagram

tiffany — Mon, 06 May 2013 15:56:27 +0000

Get Camera Ready For LinkedIn And Instagram
Important Social Media Updates You Want To Know & Tips You Can’t Be Social Without
In This Week’s Weekend Roundup

Updates You Want To Know

Twitter updates Vine for iOS so you can shoot with the front-facing camera and mention users in posts

Vine, the app for recording and sharing short video clips, has been updated with two new features. Users can now record with both the iPhone rear and front-facing camera. Also, other users can be tagged in comments or captions and they will receive a notification about the mention.

Instagram Now Lets Anyone Tag You [Or Brands] In Photos, Adds Them To “Photos Of You” Profile Section

Tagging other users in photos is a popular feature on Facebook. Now, Instagram has added a similar feature with the latest update to their iOS and Android apps. Users who are tagged will be able to remove the tag or require approval before tagged photos show up on their profile. You can learn more here about how to use photo tags in Instagram.

Facebook Rolls Out Trusted Contacts

Facebook users can now designate trusted contacts that can verify their identity. This will allow users to receive security codes so they can access their account when they are unable to log in. This process will make it easier to restore an account after it has been compromised.

LinkedIn turns online resumes into professional portfolios

LinkedIn users will now have more options available to showcase their work. Videos and images can be added to an online resume so it is not just text. Here, you will find some examples of how people in different professions can use this new feature to really demonstrate the skills and experience they have.

How-Tos To Help You Do Social Better

How To Measure Your Social Media Return On Investment

Many business owners find it worthwhile to be on social media, but aren’t sure exactly how to measure the effectiveness of their efforts. Being able to measure ROI can help a business determine if they need to make adjustments in their strategy. Check out these three methods: metric tools, interactions, and analyzing traffic.

Tips You Don’t Want To Be Social Without

Twitter Trouble: 9 Social Media Security Tips

Twitter is working on implementing a two-factor authentication process to help keep accounts secure, but there are other important steps you can take to protect your social media accounts. Most important is using strong passwords to guard against phishing attacks. Read on to learn about more security tips that are not as well known.

The Affects Of Social Media

How Social Media Impacts Your Search Rankings

Did you know the content you post on social media creates “social signals” to help determine your search ranking? Here, you can learn a few simple tips from industry experts on how to improve your social signals. Being intentional in what you post may get more people to share the information.

How Social Media is Changing the SEO Industry

Social media has changed how people relate online and search for information. SEO is constantly evolving and there are many different opinions on how to improve search rankings. Continue reading to find out about five major social factors that have already impacted SEO.

If you want even more than the 8 articles worth reading follow @tiffanydparson on Twitter and the Social Media Tools & Tutorials board on Pinterest.

Tiffany D Parson, is the visionary and CEO behind Virtual Hired Hand. She helps busy online business owners maintain their online presence including their websites and social media. She is a coach and trainer to new virtual assistants and those looking to get started in the industry. She started her online business full-time in 2008. Meet Tiffany »

TweetDeck Shuts Out Facebook While LinkedIn Gets Facebook Friendly

tiffany — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 08:45:07 +0000

TweetDeck is Shutting Out Facebook While LinkedIn Gets Facebook Friendly
Important Social Media Updates You Want To Know & Tips You Can’t Be Social Without
In This Week’s Weekend Roundup

Updates You Want To Know

TweetDeck’s Facebook Integration Ends May 7

We now have a specific date when TweetDeck will no longer have applications for AIR, Android and iPhone. Integration with Facebook will also no longer be supported. The reason given is that TweetDeck wants to focus more attention on developing the web-based version to manage real-time conversations.

LinkedIn Adds Facebook-Style Mentions Of People And Companies In Status Updates And Home-Page Comments

A new feature will allow LinkedIn members to mention other users or companies in their status updates. It works a lot like Facebook where you type a name in your status update and a list of matches appear for you to choose from. Those who are mentioned will receive a notification about the status update, which may inspire more conversations.

How-Tos To Help You Do Social Better

How to Diagnose the Health of Your Social Media Strategy

Sometimes it may be difficult to tell how well your social media marketing strategy is working for you. This checklist provides a way to look at how efficient your strategy is and how well you are meeting the needs of your followers. Here, you can find out how you score in four important areas.

How to Use Hashtags in Social Media Marketing

This is a great article for those who really want to know what using a hashtag is all about. First, you need to understand how they work and why using them may be beneficial. You can create your own or use ones that are popular. Follow these tips on how to choose the right hashtag and use them to promote your business.

Tips You Don’t Want To Be Social Without

What Jimmy Fallon Can Teach You About Social Media

Jimmy Fallon is an incredibly talented entertainer and someone who knows how to use social media to stay connected with his fans. He finds creative ways to get people engaged and really pays attention to the feedback from his followers. Brands can learn from this example by incorporating feedback into their product or service. Continue reading to find out what else you can learn from this comedian who is not just funny but also kind to others.

7 Simple Social Media Moves That Work

Dave Kerpen, founder of Likeable Media, is an entrepreneur who spends a lot of time responding to messages. Here, he gives his advice on how to use social media and demonstrates just how impactful it can be. It does take some investment to see results, but he believes being responsive in a certain manner is where you can set yourself apart from others.

If you want even more than the 6 articles worth reading follow @tiffanydparson on Twitter and the Social Media Tools & Tutorials board on Pinterest.

9 Ways A Virtual Assistant Can Help With Your Online Spring Cleaning

tiffany — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 18:28:12 +0000

Spring Cleaning With The Help Of A VA
by Tiffany Parson

It’s time to do a little Spring cleaning in our local office here at Virtual Hired Hand. After moving in December, my office still has boxes and the bookshelf is still empty. I’ve been adjusting to our new home and trying to find the right spot in regards to where I want to work.

Some days I’m sitting in the living room, other days in the dining room until finally towards the end of the week, when I’m really ready to get down and dirty (in a good way) with my work, I end up in the office. Or like today, sitting in a cozy Barnes and Noble with my hubby LJ.

I’ll have to post before and after pics on our Facebook page once everything is all set. (HINT: I’m sharing as a way to hold myself accountable, so please check on me as cleaning is not my first love)

In addition to cleaning my actual office, it’s also a great time to have my virtual assistants jump in to assist with some online cleaning.

One of my VAs Shannon, does a phenomenal job with transcriptions, so she’s been going through all of our audios including Blog Talk Radio episodes and free MP3s and transcribing them. My other VA LaTasha, she’s been with me since the very beginning and she’s going through all of our blog posts and pulling out various nuggets that will be used for social media. Without Shannon and LaTasha a lot of things specific to Virtual Hired Hand would not get done.

I learned about six months into working full-time that I needed my own virtual assistant to support me while I support my clients. They are a invaluable to me and my business.

I’m not sure if you have a virtual assistant for your business or maybe you are a virtual assistant or maybe you’re one of our VIP clients and haven’t had time to send over a request regarding your online Spring cleaning needs. Either way, this list will help you in regards to what a virtual assistant can do to set you free this Spring:

9 Ways A Virtual Assistant Can Help With Your Online Spring Cleaning:

Read through your old blog posts and pull out tweetables – tips that can be shared via Facebook and Twitter
Go through your audio files and transcribe them so you can reuse them later
Delete inactive plugins from your WordPress website
Check all social media profiles to be sure the information and links provided are the most current
Review all items in ‘Trash’ and ‘Drafts’ of your WordPress website including pages, posts, and media library to either keep or delete permanently or whatever else you’d like to have your VA do with the content
Send Thank You cards to all of the clients you have served this year.
Review all Autoresponder messages in your email system to confirm all links and other references are current
Review checkout processes on your website to be sure everything is working as expected
Review all optin offers to be sure the process is working and flowing as expected

As you can see there are many ways a virtual assistant can assist with your online cleaning. Clearly everyone will have different needs, however this list will get you started. Let a virtual assistant help with your Spring cleaning.

If we can be of service to you this season, please let us know!

5 Updates For Facebook And Twitter You Don’t Want To Miss

tiffany — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 16:24:24 +0000

5 Updates For Facebook And Twitter You Don’t Want To Miss
Important Social Media Updates You Want To Know & Tips You Can’t Be Social Without
In This Week’s Weekend Roundup

Facebook 6.0 for iPad and iPhone: hands-on with Chat Heads, stickers, and more

The latest update to Facebook for iOS includes Chat Heads, allowing conversations to pop out above the other activity you are doing on the app. There is also a new Stickers feature, which allows users to include a fun character in their message that is selected from a pack of images. Those who use the app for iPad should also notice a cleaner version of the News Feed with this update.

Facebook Asks You To Please Select Your Emotion

You may have noticed there is a new option available for Facebook status updates that allows users to share how they are feeling using an emoticon. The drop-down menu also includes selections to share what they are watching, reading, listening to, drinking, or eating. This new tool will make it easier for Facebook to collect user data for targeted advertising.

Facebook to remove ‘friends of fans’ metric from Insights

Facebook added “Friends of Fans” to Page Insights in 2011, but it will soon be removed so the focus is on more actionable stats. Page owners have not found it very valuable to see the number of friends of users who Like their page because the News Feed algorithm makes it difficult for posts to reach this potential audience. For those who still want to see the number of friends of fans, this article explains an alternative way to access this data.

Twitter Tries to Make Its Ad Pitch More Googley, With Keyword Targeting

Marketers will now be able to use keyword targeting to show their ads to users who type certain words in their tweets. Negative comments can be filtered so ads are not shown to those who are actually expressing a complaint about the keyword or phrase. Many people are interested to see how these advertising results will compare to using Google AdWords.

Twitter Relaunches Its Twitter For Business Site With More Content, New Video

The Twitter for Business website has been relaunched with a new look and additional content to help users get the most out of this online resource. Included is a new two-minute video offering tips for beginners who want to learn how to successfully do business on Twitter. More advanced users will also find information on how to build their presence.

If you want even more than the 5 articles worth reading follow @tiffanydparson on Twitter and the Social Media Tools & Tutorials board on Pinterest.

Does Your Audience Have A Twin On Facebook?

tiffany — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 17:46:48 +0000

Does Your Audience Have A Twin On Facebook?
Important Social Media Updates You Want To Know & Tips You Can’t Be Social Without
In This Week’s Weekend Roundup

Updates You Want To Know

Google+ Introduces New Hangouts App Called Capture, To Snap Pics Of Special Moments As They Happen

Hangouts is a popular Google product that allows users to video chat with multiple people. With the new Capture app, users can now snap photos from these videos to save and share certain moments. There is no need to worry about having a surprise picture taken because everyone who joins a Hangout will be notified that the app is in use.

Pinterest rolls out its site redesign with easier access to boards and related content from a pin page

The Pinterest redesign is simpler and cleaner with slightly larger pins. When users look at a specific pin they will be able to see more related content such as other pins from the same website source. Another design change appears at the bottom of the screen and includes a display of other pins from users who pinned the content being viewed.

Facebook Officially Launches Lookalike Audiences

Lookalike audiences is a new option that will allow advertisers to target people who have characteristics that are similar to their current customers. Ads will then be shown to people with specific interests or demographics. This new feature is available in the power editor and creates an even greater reach than the custom audiences tool released last fall.

Facebook Finally Adds ‘Reply’ Option to Comments

When a Facebook post has a lot of comments it can be difficult to follow the conversation and understand what each person is commenting on. Now with the new reply feature that is rolling out, users will be able to reply directly under a specific comment. In addition, comments will be prioritized so the most active ones appear near the top of the post. Right now this feature is available to brand pages and profiles with at least 10,000 followers.

Facebook Quietly Loosens Restrictions On Cover Images For Pages

Pages on Facebook will no longer have to follow a list of rules for cover photos. One restriction that remains is that the image may not contain more than 20 percent text. Cover photos may now include contact or sales information and calls to action. This will give brands a greater opportunity to promote their business.

Tips You Don’t Want To Be Social Without

6 Facebook Metrics Marketers Should Be Measuring

Have you been paying much attention to your Facebook metrics to see how your page is performing? Perhaps you have been avoiding this because you find it overwhelming and too complex. This article makes it easier to understand six metrics that are available and some tools to save you time. Once you become familiar with these it can help you refine your Facebook marketing.

Should You Outsource Social Media Or Do It Yourself?

This is a question that many businesses ask and the best answer may be to do some of your own social media management and then outsource the rest. If your business is using multiple social media platforms it can be too time consuming to try to manage this all yourself. Yet it is important to have some involvement so you can stay connected to your audience. These five steps can help guide you to achieve your social media goals.

Advice from Bubba’s social media guru

Bubba Watson is a professional golfer and the reigning Masters champion. Much of his continued popularity can be attributed to how engaged he is with his followers on Twitter. Now, the woman who helped educate Bubba about social media is sharing her tips on how to be more effective on social platforms.

The Hidden Benefits of Social Media Marketing: Why Your Strategy May Be Working Better Than You Think

If you are questioning the value of using social media for your business, this article may address a few of your concerns. Some of the benefits are not always obvious and also don’t come right away. One advantage is the repeat exposure that can increase brand recognition. Continue reading to learn other ways that social media marketing can lead to positive results.

Case Studies

Which Site are Experiencing Success on Pinterest and Why

Pinterest is the third largest social media network and many marketers are successfully using the site for business exposure. Engaging on this social network may be particularly beneficial for brands related to the top category of “Food and Drink.” Continue reading to find out what works well for building a presence on the site.

Social Media and the Not-So-Sexy Business

There are certain types of businesses that are fun to follow, but would you ever think about following your plumber, a roofing company, or a cleaning service? Those who provide services such as these may wonder how effective social media could be for their business. This article includes three stories to show what is possible.

Happy Birthday Twitter!

Twitter celebrates 200 million users on its 7th birthday

A lot has changed and evolved since Twitter launched seven years ago. If you are a fan of the site you might enjoy this short video, which highlights some of the important moments in the history of this social network. Did you know that there are now over 400 tweets posted every day?

If you want even more than the 12 articles worth reading follow @tiffanydparson on Twitter and the Social Media Tools & Tutorials board on Pinterest.

Hashtags on Facebook and Analytics for Pinterest?

tiffany — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 15:29:35 +0000

Hashtags on Facebook and Analytics for Pinterest?
Important Social Media Updates You Want To Know & Tips You Can’t Be Social Without
In This Week’s Weekend Roundup

Updates You Want To Know

Introducing Pinterest Web Analytics

If you are interested in learning even more about Pinterest Web Analytics, this blog post includes the steps to get started using this new tool. It is only available to those who have a verified website listed on their Pinterest profile. Read on to find out what type of data is available to download.

Pinterest offers new tool, lays base for money-making features

Pinterest Web Analytics is a free tool that provides website owners with data on user activity. Now, businesses can see how many people have visited their site from Pinterest as well as information about pins that have originated from their site. This is part of the preparation to monetize this rapidly growing social network.

Facebook begins rolling out new one-column Timeline with increased emphasis on interests

Be prepared for another change to the Timeline. Facebook has redesigned the layout so that status updates will remain in a single column on the right side with photos and other activity on the left. Along with this cleaner look there will be a dedicated section where users can add their interests in music, movies, books, and television shows.

Twitter Now Supports Line Breaks in Tweets

Twitter users can now put line breaks in their tweets to spread the text over several different lines. This new feature works on both the website and the mobile app but is not supported with embedded tweets. It will be interesting to see how many users will stick with using a block of text and how many will take advantage of this opportunity to make their text stand out more.

Facebook to Introduce Hashtags – And That’s a Double-Edged Sword for Twitter

The competition between Facebook and Twitter continues to heat up as Facebook plans to incorporate its own version of the hashtag. This will allow users to view posts associated with a specific theme or topic that is trending. This may also provide advertisers with another way to target people who are interested in specific subjects.

Tips You Don’t Want To Be Social Without

How To Build a Facebook Fanbase By Monday

Sandi Krakowski has been a great mentor and coach to me and many other people. In this interview she shares her approach to building a community of over 100,000 fans on Facebook. Learn the techniques that can help you stand out from other social media marketers. This includes being yourself and showing a more personal side to your business.

Social Media Lessons from a 2-Year-Old

Some of the lessons we learn early in life still apply to us as adults. This is especially true when people venture into new territory and don’t find what they expect. Sometimes we have to let go of trying to control things and be more open to learning. This article explains how this applies to social media.

Avoiding Common Social Media Mistakes

Making the best use of time and energy is important for a small business owner. With the right information and proper planning you can make your social media efforts more impactful. As you go along you learn what works and what needs to be tweaked to work better. Here are four pitfalls to watch out for during this process.

16 Ways Businesses Are Using Twitter Vine

Vine is a new mobile app for recording and sharing up to six seconds of looping video on Twitter and Facebook. You might feel inspired to create your own Vine video after seeing some of the creative ways that businesses are using them. This is a great way to tell your brand’s story, showcase your products, and bring things to life.

If you want even more than the 9 articles worth reading follow @tiffanydparson on Twitter and the Social Media Tools & Tutorials board on Pinterest.

Don’t Get Burned Out, Facebook Just Redesigned It’s Newsfeed

tiffany — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 14:20:33 +0000

Don’t Get Burned Out, Facebook Just Redesigned It’s Newsfeed
Important Social Media Updates You Want To Know & Tips You Can’t Be Social Without
In This Week’s Weekend Roundup

Updates You Want To Know

Facebook’s redesigned News Feed features specialized feeds: All Friends, Music, Photos and Following

Facebook has announced some major changes to the News Feed. The redesign includes larger images with the ability to filter for photos and music. Separate feeds will be available to view updates from friends or Pages you like. These changes will give users more choices so they can view the content they are most interested in.

Case Study

The age of the brag is over: why Facebook might be losing teens

It appears that some of the younger users of Facebook are moving on to other social networks they find more fun, like Instagram and Tumblr. It is not uncommon for people to grow bored with things they once found interesting. This is why it is so important to listen to what your audience wants and be able to adapt and change.

Tips You Don’t Want To Be Social Without

Don’t Give Up on Social Media Before Doing This

An effective social media marketing strategy includes well-defined goals and knowing who your target audience is. Having this direction will then help you determine the best social platforms to use. This article explains how to evaluate your current strategy and six of the biggest mistakes to avoid.

Social media expert offers advice for businesses

Social networking creates great opportunities to connect with the right people who can help you take your business to the next level. This is what happened for one woman when she shared her new eBook on Twitter and connected with an agent and publisher who helped her get a book deal. Learn what this entrepreneur has to share about how to better leverage social media.

5 Tips for Avoiding Social Media Burnout

Many people use social media for business as well as in their personal life. Being so active in this arena can eventually lead to burnout. However, there are some things you can do to effectively manage your time on social media and reduce the risk of burnout. Continue reading to find tips that might work for you.

Dump the Ego and Be Positive: How to Get More Twitter Followers

A new study shows that being positive can make you more popular on Twitter. People who share useful information tend to have more followers than those who spend more time giving updates about themselves. This may inspire some to find the right balance of sharing who you are with offering something to your followers.

If you want even more than the 6 articles worth reading follow @tiffanydparson on Twitter and the Social Media Tools & Tutorials board on Pinterest.

Promoting Friends on Facebook and the Video Face Off Between YouTube and Facebook

tiffany — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 14:00:21 +0000

Promoting Friends on Facebook and the Video Face Off Between YouTube and Facebook

Important Social Media Updates You Want To Know & Tips You Can’t Be Social Without
In This Week’s Weekend Roundup

Updates You Want To Know

1. Now You Can Pay To Promote Your Friends’ Facebook Posts To More People, Even Without Their Permission

Having friends that support you and being able to reciprocate is a great feeling. Now, when you see a friend’s Facebook post that deserves to get noticed you can pay to promote it. Perhaps someone will do the same for you so more of your fans will see your post appear in their news feed. This is an excellent way to gain support for something like a fundraising event.

2. Pheed is feeding teens’ thirst for social media

Pheed has now passed Facebook to become the top free social app. Their sudden popularity is largely due to a few teens with a large online following that have enthusiastically promoted the site. Pheed includes a combination of features from many other social networking sites and allows users to post photos and videos with no restrictions on content size.

Case Study

3. 5 S. Fla. businesses that are doing social media right.

Finding the time to devote to social media can be challenging at times. What motivates some people to make this a higher priority is hearing about the success that others have had. Here, you can learn how five small businesses have approached social media, which just may inspire you to try out some of these ideas for yourself.

4. Which Video Format Is Better For Engagement: Facebook Or YouTube?

When sharing a video on Facebook you may have wondered whether to post it directly to this site or upload it to YouTube and share it from there. One company examined how people respond to videos shared through these two different methods. The chart in this article quickly shows how these compare in likes, comments, and shares.

Tips You Don’t Want To Be Social Without

5. 7 Ways to Tell Stories (Truthful Ones) to Sell Online

Telling a meaningful story is a great way to move others to take a certain action. Storytelling allows a business to become more relatable and connect with others on a human level. Social media is a great place to practice this. These simple tips can be used to hone the skill of telling a story in a way that will captivate an audience.

6 . 7 Rules for Social Media Success

As more and more businesses get involved in social media, it becomes increasingly difficult to stand out online. What worked for your business last year may not be giving you the same results now. Read on to find out how you can apply these rules to mix things up and become more relevant.

If you want even more than the 6 articles worth reading follow @tiffanydparson on Twitter and the Social Media Tools & Tutorials board on Pinterest.

TTF Podcast: Freelancer Phobias

tiffany — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 09:45:18 +0000

TTF Podcast: Freelancer Phobias
with Tiffany Parson

SHOW SUMMARY

Have you made plans for your freelancer business, but aren’t sure what is holding you back in carrying them out? Perhaps you are sabotaging your own efforts by committing to too many things, or waiting for the ideal or perfect situation. Think about the fears that you are keeping you from moving forward in your business. Now is the time to take action on the plans you have already made! The world is waiting to see what else you have to offer. This episode focuses on how to address some common freelancer phobias that might be holding you back.

This episode covers the following:

Defining what a phobia is with some examples
How overloading ourselves with work relates to a phobia
A phobia may be wanting things to be perfect
A funny story about trying to create the perfect writing environment
Being aware of the inspiration that is all around us
Another way to look at perfectionism
Avoiding vs. being compelled to do something
How things flow when you don’t allow things to get in your way
It’s time to put a stop to the perfectionism holding you back
Taking action creates confidence, allowing you to do even more
How our thoughts can stir up our fears or increase our confidence
Handling a phobia of talking or interviewing over the phone
A challenge for you to practice speaking to an audience

Also mentioned in this episode:

WordPress

BlogTalkRadio

Click Here to Download the Complete Transcript

Click Here to Listen to the Podcast

Brick and Mortars Can Do Business Online Too, It Starts With Social Media

tiffany — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 14:00:42 +0000

Brick and Mortars Can Do Business Online Too, It Starts With Social Media
Important Social Media Updates You Want To Know & Tips You Can’t Be Social Without
In This Week’s Weekend Roundup

Updates You Want To Know

Twitter, Amex to Collaborate on E-Commerce Sales on Twitter

Twitter has developed a partnership with American Express that will allow users to purchase select products directly from the social media site. This requires the user to link their Amex card number with their Twitter account. The new program is expected to attract merchants who want to see how their ads on Twitter are directly leading to sales.

Case Study

How Social Media Put a Tiny Yarn Shop on the Map

It is inspiring to hear how some people are able to turn a hobby into a successful business. This particular story about a small retail store demonstrates how social media can be used to build a brand. By creating an online following, this small business was able to grow and significantly boost their sales. This success came from understanding the importance of building relationships with their customers.

Tips You Don’t Want To Be Social Without

3 Tools to Better Manage Your Social Media Presence

With so many changes happening in the online world, it is important to continually look for ways to be more effective in your social media efforts. Knowing how to focus your efforts will also help you use your time more efficiently. Here are three social media tools that you may want to consider using as part of your strategy.

How To Grow Your Business Using Facebook

People have various opinions about the importance of using Facebook for their business. It takes time, effort, and creativity to establish a strong presence on the site and see positive results for your business. This article explains how incorporating apps can be a creative way to further engage your fans.

5 Dead Simple Ways to Track Social Media ROI

Calculating the return on investment for social media can be complicated, but there are some simple methods you can use for tracking ROI. For example, you can create special offers on certain sites so you know where your traffic is coming from. Read on to learn about other measurable activities and tools you can use.

If you want even more than the 5 articles worth reading follow @tiffanydparson on Twitter and the Social Media Tools & Tutorials board on Pinterest.

TTF Podcast: The Biggest Mistake You Can Make as a Freelancer

tiffany — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 09:45:26 +0000

TTF Podcast: The Biggest Mistake You Can Make as a Freelancer

with Tiffany Parson

SHOW SUMMARY

Providing good service involves more than just having the skills to do the work. The character of a freelancer is also an important factor. Think about the type of client you enjoy working with and strive to be that in return. Remain professional, be responsible, and don’t forget to stay friendly! How you communicate and show up is so important, because it will either make your client’s life easier or cause them more stress. There is an epidemic going on in the freelancer world, and this is why I want to discuss the biggest mistake you can make as a freelancer.

This episode covers the following:

Three reasons clients seek out a freelancer
What can cause a client to take their business elsewhere
How other freelancers create an insecure or nervous client
Communicate so you don’t leave your client wondering
Think about the client’s perspective and how they are counting on you
Paying attention to when you need help to get the work done
Fostering a relationship and building trust with the client
The small act that helped me step up my business a notch
How the industry is affected by the biggest mistake freelancers make
Making sure you show up every time for your client

Click Here to Download the Complete Transcript

Click Here to Listen to the Podcast

Promote and Engage On Facebook

tiffany — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 14:00:09 +0000

Promote and Engage On Facebook.
Important Social Media Updates You Want To Know & Tips You Can’t Be Social Without
In This Week’s Weekend Roundup

I can be guilty of over thinking things. My analytical skills and sense of systematizing come in handy when it comes to work flow, reviewing data, coding, creating systems, and so on. However, when it’s time to post on social media it’s important for me to take that hat off and let things flow, within reason of course.

The other day after going back and forth with what I was going to post next on Facebook, God laid this on me:

“Some people over think their updates while others don’t think at all. Find the midpoint and relax.”

This was huge for me and I knew I had to post it on Facebook.

There will be times when you may be hesitant to share something on social media. However, my guess is that it’s not just for you, but for someone else to. The next time you’re over thinking not just social media, but your blog post or next online event, find the midpoint and relax.

This week find out how Facebook determines whether or not what you’re posting shows up in the newsfeed. Also check out the latest updates and requirements for prompting on Facebook.

You’ll get this and more in this week’s weekend roundup!

Enjoy your family, enjoy your friends, enjoy this issue!

Much love,

Tiffany

Updates You Want To Know

Facebook Offers: Minimum Requirement Dropped to 100 Likes

Facebook Offers is an advertising feature that allows businesses to create discounts or promotions for their products and services. This was originally only available to users with at least 400 Likes, but now pages with as little as 100 Likes are seeing this option become available to them. It appears that this is rolling out slowly and the new minimum applies to Promoted Posts as well.

Case Study

Small Businesses Use LinkedIn More Than Facebook

According to a new survey, LinkedIn is the social media site that is used most often by small business owners. 41 percent of those surveyed attributed the site as their most valuable means for growth. Of course, the usefulness of this site will vary depending on the type of business and whether they are targeting a professional demographic.

Tips You Don’t Want To Be Social Without

Understanding Facebook’s EdgeRank

EdgeRank is the algorithm used by Facebook to determine which users will see a particular post show up in their News Feed. You may be disappointed to learn that posts have a limited reach, but understanding how EdgeRank works may help you reach more of your audience. This article explains the four factors that determine a post’s reach.

If you want even more than the 3 articles worth reading follow @tiffanydparson on Twitter and the Social Media Tools & Tutorials board on Pinterest.

Happy Valentine’s Day

tiffany — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 23:16:22 +0000

There many are times when I get inspired by other people. So instead of writing a post myself I glean from there’s to learn. It’s funny as I was scanning Facebook groups and pages, I came across this article posted on a friend’s FB page. It’s an article by Copyblogger.

My initial thought, perfect timing. I’ve been getting a little bored with my website and when that happens I got searching for something new. So we’re doing a few tweaks here and there on the site to freshen it up some. It’s like rearranging your office because you want a change of scenery or different feel in the room.

If you need a little love booster, check out these to helpful articles to help bring the love back.

7 Tips for Falling in Love with Your Blog All Over Again

I’ll be applying #7 as I celebrate Valentine’s Day with my wonderful husband. Our first married Valentine’s Day and instead of read roses he got roses that were the color from our wedding. How sweet?

See….

10 Ways to Fall in Love with Your Business All Over Again

I’m digging #4. I like that she calls it “Flirt”. That’s what’s been going on over on our website, a little flirting. I’ll have to see what we can do over on Facebook and Twitter.

And since I enjoy questions and answers, head on over to my Facebook page and ask me any question you like regarding being a virtual assistant or hiring a virtual assistant.

Celebrate, celebrate….

Happy Love Day y’all!

Tiffany

TTF Podcast: Staying Professional

tiffany — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 09:45:29 +0000

TTF Podcast: Staying Professional
with Tiffany Parson

SHOW SUMMARY

Many professionals follow the advice of keeping their personal and professional lives separate, but how do you do this online? Your potential clients or current customers may come across any information that you share online, even a personal conversation you have with a friend on a social media site. This episode of Tiffany Talks Freelancing starts with a segment on staying professional when engaging in any online activity, and continues with a discussion about which online activities may not be the best use of your time.

This episode covers the following:

Using social media as a freelancer or virtual assistant
Online activity time wasters
Why you want to be networking on LinkedIn
What has kept me from fully participating in LinkedIn
Staying professional with your profiles and how you present yourself
Being careful about what you share because people are watching
Remembering that online conversations are not private
Being authentic and the importance of personal development
Thinking like a business owner when posting online
How I got started on Facebook
Being aware of how much time you spend in free groups and forums
The value of participating in paid groups and forums

Also mentioned in this episode:

Elance

Click Here to Download the Complete Transcript

Click Here to Listen to the Podcast

How Do You Do Facebook?

tiffany — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 16:16:09 +0000

How Do You Do Facebook?
Important Social Media Updates You Want To Know & Tips You Can’t Be Social Without
In This Week’s Weekend Roundup

It’s funny to me how some people think the News Feed on Facebook is their wall. Could it be because they only use their cellphones to access Facebook?

This random thought came to my mind this morning when I realized I prefer Facebook from my computer and Twitter on my phone. For some reason I think I’m missing something if I’m not on my computer with Facebook. More to see I guess. However, with the nature of my work, if I did all Facebook from my computer, I’d never get up. So thank goodness for the mobile app, at least for work anyway.

Are you like that? Prefer to do Facebook and Twitter on a certain device or computer. Tell me about it over on my Facebook page.

If you’re not sure, observe how you make updates today on social media and then stop by and let me know

In the meantime, checkout this week’s weekend round up!!

Enjoy your family, enjoy your friends, enjoy this issue!

Much love,
Tiffany

Updates You Want To Know

Tabfusion App Brings Dropbox Galleries To Facebook Pages

A new app is available from Tabfusion that allows a Dropbox gallery to be added to a Facebook page. Folders and photos can easily be added and removed, but original photos will remain protected. Continue reading to learn more about how this works.

Case Study

Airlines using social media to change the way you fly

Like many other businesses, major airlines have realized the benefits of connecting with their customers through social media. By having a dedicated team responding to questions and comments on sites like Twitter, they are able to meet the needs of their customers more quickly. Even though their focus is customer service rather than marketing, by creating more brand supporters they are able to reach new customers.

Tips You Don’t Want To Be Social Without

Facebook Graph Search: What It Means For Business

Facebook is still gathering important feedback before their new search feature is launched to all users. Graph Search will allow users to create very specific searches with results that appear in graph form. Page Likes will become even more important as users will be able to search for a specific type of business that their friends like. This article features a video describing this unique search tool and information on how businesses can use it for more targeted advertising.

If you want even more than the 3 articles worth reading follow @tiffanydparson on Twitter and the Social Media Tools & Tutorials board on Pinterest.

TTF Podcast: What Comes Natural

tiffany — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 09:45:49 +0000

TTF Podcast: What Comes Natural
with Tiffany Parson

SHOW SUMMARY

This episode of Tiffany Talks Freelancing focuses on the importance of doing work that comes natural to you. Sometimes the tasks we take on are too difficult and drain our energy because they are not in line with our gifts and talents. If you find yourself spending too much of your time on things you don’t enjoy, this talk may encourage you to change things around. The work we do transforms when we focus on the opportunities that allow us to share the best parts of ourselves.

This episode covers the following:

30 for 30 documentary on Len Bias
Sticking with what comes natural and easy
Using your natural gifts and talents for your career
Choosing freelance work that you enjoy
How we might feel pressured to choose work that is not enjoyable
The benefits of focusing on what is fun and pleasurable
Lessons I learned while starting out as a freelancer
Be willing to test out and try new things to find what fits for you
Stay with what is working and train and improve in that area

Also mentioned in this episode:

Click Here to Download the Complete Transcript

Click Here to Listen to the Podcast

Twitter Crosses Over To Video While Facebook Becomes More Human

tiffany — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 14:00:49 +0000

Twitter Crosses Over To Video While Facebook Becomes More Human
Important Social Media Updates You Want To Know & Tips You Can’t Be Social Without
In This Week’s Weekend Roundup

Updates You Want To Know

Facebook Prompts Users To Invite Guests When They RSVP To Events

When Facebook users RSVP to attend an event, they will now be prompted to invite their friends from a list of suggested guests. This option was previously found on the sidebar for events. Page administrators will also now see a navigation bar with different tabs, including one to create an event.

Vine hands-on: Twitter’s game-changing take on social video

Vine is Twitter’s new app for the iPhone that allows users to record and share up to six seconds of video. These short looping video clips can be added to tweets and the app even connects with Facebook. This service makes it easy to capture video with sound. It’s already becoming so popular that it is being compared to Instagram.

YouTube Set to Introduce Paid Subscriptions This Spring

YouTube has been working with video producers who want to create channels that will require users to pay a few dollars to assess their content. These paid subscriptions will first be tested with a small group of channels and the revenue split is expected to be similar to ads on YouTube. There is talk that live events may also be available on the site with a subscription.

Foursquare launches dedicated iPhone app for US businesses, with analytics, local updates and more

Foursquare has just launched its second mobile app called Foursquare for Business. This will allow business managers to be more active and better manage their business information on the social network. Using the app they can view recent visitors to their business, make updates about products and specials, and also track analytics. This is a great way for businesses to learn more about their customers and what appeals to them.

Data & Results

For Search, Facebook Had to Go Beyond ‘Robospeak’

Facebook’s new search tool was developed using knowledge about human behavior and studying the different ways that people search for information. The idea is that if people are able to find the information they are interested in, they will stay on the site longer, and advertisers have a greater chance of reaching them. This interesting article explains more about the development of this new tool.

Tips You Don’t Want To Be Social Without

The Truth About Social Media

These eight useful tips from a social media consultant can help you change your approach so that social media doesn’t have to be a chore. We know the importance of building relationships and a community that is engaged, but how exactly do you do that? This does take time and effort and you can start by embracing the process and committing to it long-term to achieve results.

Getting The Most Out Of Facebook’s Social Search

Graph Search is a powerful tool that will allow Facebook users to search through their social graph and public content for specific information. For those who are marketing on Facebook, it will be important to know how to get your business page to show up in search results. These four tips will help you get ready for this new social search feature.

Interesting to Know for 2013

Getting Started With the New Myspace: What Businesses Need to Know

With the recent relaunch of Myspace you may be wondering what the site now has to offer. The focus on entertainment and music will target a younger audience that some brands may want to engage. A new customized profile layout is available for different account types. The large cover image may appeal to businesses involving graphic design and photography. This article explains how to set up a profile, post updates, and make connections.

If you want even more than the 8 articles worth reading follow @tiffanydparson on Twitter and the Social Media Tools & Tutorials board on Pinterest.

Is Your Guard Up?

tiffany — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:48:39 +0000

Is Your Guard Up?

By: Tiffany Parson

I’ve got my spiritual boxing gloves on today. Do you have a minute?

Please listen to me as a virtual assistant coach and trainer it’s my responsibility to be open and share based on experiences whether they be mine or someone else’s. This is how we all learn.

This is what I was going to post on my Facebook wall and then realized it best I send it to you all directly because you might miss it:

Happy Thursday Guys!! I cannot impress upon you enough to be sure you review potential clients websites and every social media link they have. You can learn a lot about who they are, their beliefs, and their message. If it is not in line with yours pass on the opportunity.

There was a time when I didn’t know to do this and it not only effected my business, but my family. As a service provider when you work with a business owner, you are agreeing to their message whatever it is.

Beware everyone with a bright smile and a pleasant disposition is not what you see. In the Wizard of Oz there was both a good witch and a bad witch. As for me and my house a witch is a witch is a witch.

“…God is strong, and he wants you strong.

So take everything the Master has set out for you, well–made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way.

This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.

Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet.” {Ephesians 10 – 14 MSG}

Do not ever put your self in a situation of desperation. No matter what!

Here’s what happens when you do:

You end up with a project you cannot handle
You end up with a client you cannot serve
You miss out on other opportunities because you’re tied up with something that never should have been on your plate in the first place.

Guard what you do. Your clients and family depend on you.

Much love and all the best…

Tiffany

The New Social Search And Your Engagement

tiffany — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 16:11:53 +0000

The New Social Search And Your Engagement
Important Social Media Updates You Want To Know & Tips You Can’t Be Social Without
In This Week’s Weekend Roundup

Updates You Want To Know

Facebook Graph Search hands-on: a brand new social search

The new Graph Search on Facebook isn’t public yet but there is a wait list you can join for early access. This feature can be used to search for your friend’s activities and check-ins. You can even find restaurants close to you that your friends like. These results may be more relevant to you than anything you can find in a search using Google. Businesses may also find this new feature useful for marketing and engagement.

Facebook reveals how its new Graph Search feature works with your privacy settings

With each new feature added by Facebook, a major concern among users is how it will impact their privacy on the site. Since the new Graph Search uses personal information shared on the social network, it is important to understand what your options are in regards to privacy settings. Users will only be able to search for information that has already been shared with them. The video in this post explains more about this.

Data & Results

7 Social Media Trends for Consumers: New Research

This article covers seven important findings from the 2012 Social Media Report completed by Nielsen and McKinsey. Information was gathered by surveying consumers to determine how they are using social networks. The results confirm previous reports that more and more people are accessing social media through their smartphones and tablets. You’ll find some other interesting trends and insights here.

Tips You Don’t Want To Be Social Without

5 Ways to Boost Your Small Business Twitter Account

Small business owners have to juggle a lot of things and may not have the time needed to build a strong presence on social media. With so many people sharing their opinion about the do’s and don’ts of social media, it can become confusing and overwhelming. By trying out tips like the ones in this article, you can may find a user-friendly way to connect more on Twitter.

3 Pinterest Tools That Will Have You #Pinning In No Time

Being successful on social media isn’t just about gaining as many followers as you can. It also involves being aware of the tools that are available and how to use them. If you are using Pinterest in a professional capacity, these easy to use tools can help you become more effective and find interesting things to share.

Interesting to Know for 2013

The Essential Social Media New Year’s Check List

Changing your passwords regularly is important to keep your online information secure. If you haven’t been doing this, the new year is a great time to start this new habit. There are even tools available to help make this process easier. Learn more about this and other important things to check and update online.

Top Five Social Media Predictions for 2013

Part of creating a social media strategy involves anticipating the changes that are constantly happening online. One way to make these predictions is to look at what the recent trends have been. The use of visual content is one area that is expected to gain even more focus this year. You can learn more in this article about other trends expected this year.

If you want even more than the 7 articles worth reading follow @tiffanydparson on Twitter and the Social Media Tools & Tutorials board on Pinterest.

Why Not Start Where You Are

tiffany — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 21:11:58 +0000

Why Not Start Where You Are
by Tiffany Parson

It’s funny to me when people are hesitant to put a buy now button on their website because they are waiting to decide on a shopping cart. Okay, back up a sec…

Let’s say this person’s name is Sam and Sam has never sold anything online. Not one product, not one service. However, he’s been holding out for weeks on marketing his services until he decides on a pay button.

The problem, is we often are looking at where someone is right now and thinking, ‘Oh I cannot do that. I don’t have the money, time, resources, training, etc.’

Guess what? Neither did they.

Not when they were where you are right now.

Think of someone you admire or someone who is successful in your eyes at what they do. Maybe it’s someone who owns several stores and is selling their own product. Here’s an example: Carol’s Daughter.

This company sells skin and haircare products. A friend introduced me to this company about 7 years ago. Back then I think they had only one store in New York and since I don’t live in New York I would order things from their website.

However, since that time Carol’s Daughter has BLOWN UP!

You see she got started making products in her kitchen. However, if I allow myself to use her as a model, I mustn’t start with where she is right now, but I’ve got to know her story.

How did it get started?

What did she do to get to where she is right now?

Online we tend to think because things are done so quickly that we can get an idea today, put up a website tomorrow and BAM have tens of thousands of people coming to our website, following us on Facebook, Twitter and where ever else. Then we get discouraged when it doesn’t happen. The biggest thing missing is the effort, persistence and consistency needed to keep things going in our business.

I remember hearing my mentor say if you aren’t making any money in your business, you don’t have a business. You have an opportunity. Ah!

And yet, there are people who will read this right now and think they have a business because they have a website. I’m sorry to say that’s not the case. It takes hard work to get a business going online. Yes, there’s little over head, but where there’s lesser overhead you transfer that to effort, learning a skill, research. Finding out if people even want what you have.

My husband and I recently went to see the movie Guilt Trip. It started off slow but ended up being a pretty good movie. If you’ve got a mother, you must go see it. I’ve asked my mom to go see it and then let me know if she saw her self in Barbara Steisand’s character.

In the movie, the son is trying to sell an organic cleaning product. Yes, while people are into being green, organic, yada yah…he still had to put some energy into his product. It wasn’t until he did an outrageous presentation that he finally got someone’s attention. Yes, it was a fiction movie, but it makes sense. If I don’t want what you’re offering, what can you do?

Make me want it?

You must start where you are. If you don’t have a button and are allowing that to hold you up, please get signed up with PayPal NOW. There’s no rule that says you cannot change your shopping cart button later to something else. Get moving already!

I recently watched this video on Marie Forleo’s website. She takes you through her initial episodes of Marie.tv and brings it up to today. It’s easy to look at her online TV show in 2013 and think wow, I cannot do that. However, when you see she actually didn’t start from where we see her right now, it was completely different back in 2011.

Stop trying to copy someone’s now and begin right where you are.

Get More Results On Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram in 2013

tiffany — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 19:38:46 +0000

Get More Results On Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram in 2013
Important Social Media Updates You Want To Know & Tips You Can’t Be Social Without
In This Week’s Weekend Roundup

Updates You Want To Know

Facebook Page Like Ads Can Now Be Created Directly Via Admin Panels On Pages

Small businesses should find it easier to create a page like ad because it can now be done right from the page admin panel. This simplified feature creates ads for both desktop and mobile, which are designed to attract new fans. These ads can even target users who live near a business location.

Facebook snubs ‘Subscribe’ button in favor of Twitter-esque ‘Follow’ on all profile pages

Some users weren’t clear what it meant to “Subscribe” to a page, so Facebook will now be using the term “Follow”. This feature will work the same, allowing updates from public figures to appear in the follower’s News Feed. With so many people following public figures and celebrities on Twitter, this change is likely a way to encourage more people to become followers on Facebook.

Twitter Adds More Keyword Targeting Options And Trending Topic Matching For ‘Promoted Tweets’

Promoted tweets will now come with new features designed to better target users based on their search queries. Brands have the option to choose an exact match, phrase match, and basic keyword match. Negative keyword targeting is also available so the promoted tweet will not appear when certain keywords are used in a search.

Instagram’s latest app update fixed my biggest pet peeve, and people hate it

Instagram is designed for photos that are square and the latest update requires users to stick to this format. This change has been quite unpopular among users who could previously upload a rectangular photo and resize it to fit the entire photo in. However, this left a black bar along the top and bottom of the image, which some people will be glad not to see anymore.

Data & Results

15 Tricks Learned While Getting My App’s Facebook Page From 0 To 100K Fans

There is a lot we can learn from those who have been able to build a large fan base on Facebook. Thankfully, there are people who are willing to share what their experience has taught them so others can benefit as well. Here are 15 strategies that have proved successful in getting more likes, comments, and shares.

21 Twitter Marketing Hacks: Writing Better Tweets Faster

The start of a new year is a great time to implement some fresh ideas for your content on Twitter. Coming up with great tweets doesn’t have to be time consuming. You might want to try some of these marketing tips shared by a social media strategist, such as how to find and use topics that are trending.

Interesting to Know for 2013

There’s No Avoiding Google+

Users will now automatically receive a public Google+ page when they create an account for Google services, including Gmail, YouTube, and Zagat. This controversial push is designed to encourage more people to use Google+ for social networking as the site looks to gain more advertisers. Google’s strategy to compete with Facebook includes accessing user information that will allow more relevant ads to be shown to them.

How Social Media Affects our TV Viewing Habits

Have you ever started watching a television show because your friends are talking about it on social media? Recent studies show this is a common occurrence and social media users have a great influence on what people are watching. Now, when people watch a live sporting event they may become even more engaged by chatting about it online.

3 Ways to Grow an Instagram Community

Instagram has become so popular that 40 percent of top brands have included it in their marketing strategy. People are drawn to visual content and it can give a business a more personal feel. The strategies discussed in this article may help you to further engage and expand your audience on Instagram.

If you want even more than the 9 articles worth reading follow @tiffanydparson on Twitter and the Social Media Tools & Tutorials board on Pinterest.

Publishing Blog Posts In 2013

tiffany — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 09:44:17 +0000

Publishing Blogs Post In 2013
by Tiffany Parson

I absolutely love to blog. It brings such joy to be able to get my thoughts on paper. Lately, I’ve been getting stuck at the mechanics of it all. Possibly you can relate?

Do I have the right number of words?
What’s my Flesch-Kincaid score?
Will they really be interested in this?

And then I wait…

And wait…

UGH! Guess what?

It drives me nuts when I don’t hit the ‘Publish’ button. I feel incomplete and sometimes it keeps me up at night.

Should I just send it or wait? Did I do enough edits? Oh, I’ll wait until Thursday, I mean I didn’t promise a newsletter for Monday.

Oh no, it’s Saturday, oops! I need to write the Editor’s note for the weekend updates. And I go on and on all the while not publishing a thing and kicking myself all the way to another wasted week of over thinking.

In 2013 I will not do this. I’m pressing ‘Publish’

And if it’s-

…not the right number of words

…or my Kolbe score is too high

…or I’m unsure whether you’ll be interested

I’m going to let you tell me based on your tweets, comments, and shares. The only way I’ll know for sure is if I just start hitting ‘Publish’.

So here goes nothing (really a big something…) I’m clicking ‘Publish’ in 2013 and not looking back…

In 2013 I will not be holding back and going to let the smoke flow from my keyboard and have lots of fun while I’m doing it. To get ready, I’m diving into my data to see how things have been going so far. What you like and what you don’t.

And if you’re brand new to our blog or newsletter, welcome!

Prepare for a fun and wild ride in 2013. We’re discussing your:

Virtual Team
Teleclasses
Blog Talk Radio Show
WordPress Websites
Social Media Content

and everything else in between that goes along with that.

In the meantime, here are several social media links that I’ll be using as a guide for reviewing my data. Hope this helps you as well

How to Analyze Your Facebook Insights

An important part of marketing your business is using metrics to see the results of your efforts. Tools like Facebook Insights make it easier to collect some of this data, but you may still need help understanding what it all means. This article will show you how to discover the story that your data is telling so you can improve your approach on Facebook.

6 Twitter Analytics Tools to Improve Your Marketing

With so many tools available for Twitter analytics, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out how to maximize your Twitter campaign. Here you can read about six effective tools and choose what will work best for you. You can learn a lot about your followers, such as the time zone they are in and how frequently they go online.

Step-By-Step: How To Download All Your Tweets With The New Twitter Archive Service

Searching through all your Tweets to find a specific post can be time consuming, but now there is a better way to look through your Twitter archive. A new feature is rolling out that will allow you to access a file containing all your Tweets. These instructions will show you how to download the information and navigate through the results.

If for some reason you just don’t have time to analyze it, schedule a quick chat with us. We’d love to support your social media needs in 2013.

Much love and all the best…

2013 will be FABULOUS

Tiffany

Merry Christmas!

tiffany — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 19:16:32 +0000

It’s a rainy and cold Christmas Eve here in North Carolina. As the afternoon comes to a close and we head out to enjoy an early Christmas dinner with family I wanted to let you know that you and your family are in our hearts and prayers this Christmas.

I don’t know what you may have experienced during 2012 that may have you ready and eager for 2013 or have you eager to wipe it off and start again. Either way we have a tremendous opportunity to grow like never before in all areas of our lives.

This holiday speak well to your fellow man. Be a light to someone in darkness. Take a load off someone with burdens. And if you’re the one in darkness or feel burdened I send you the love of Jesus this holiday season. He is the reason we celebrate.

Much love to you and your family!!

Love,

Tiffany Parson and the Virtual Hired Hand Team

The Holiday Virtual Assistant – Part I

tiffany — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 14:05:30 +0000

The Holiday Virtual Assistant

by Tiffany Johnson

Since starting my business in 2008, I have never taken a straight week off. The time is now as I am getting married and going on my honeymoon.

On Friday, December 7th, I have the honor and privilege of marrying my best friend and love of my life. I’m smiling as I write this because thinking of him and the time we’ve shared over the last 2 years has been amazing. I thank God everyday for him because he is beyond anything I could have ever dreamed of. It’s true, God gives you the desires of your heart and then some. Over and above what you could ever ask or think of.

During my time away, it was important for me to continue caring for my clients. However, I had to think of the best strategy to ensure existing projects and task run smoothly. My team does a super job and up until this point we do a lot of communicating via email. It was time we got on the phone for a quick chat.

I spoke with each one of my team members, I have two fabulous ladies that assist me, LaTasha and Shannon. They’ve been with us for months now and are exceptional at what they do. They also keep me on my toes and help me remember things for my own business that I tend to forget. Yes, virtual assistants need virtual assistants too.

When working with a virtual assistant it’s important to provide the overall picture for your team. It really helps them understand how it all comes together. When your virtual assistant understands how what he or she does fits into the big picture, it brings clarity.

Teamwork is important when it comes to building a virtual team even when it’s just a team of two. The more your virtual assistant understands about what you do, the more he or she can contribute.

If you’ve been working with a virtual assistant all year, why not enlist additional services from them during the holiday. Your virtual assistant can be the eyes and ears for your business making you aware of the absolute necessities so you can enjoy your family.

Here are some recommendations on how a virtual assistant can serve you this holiday season:

Provide email support and keep your inbox from being too crazy upon your return.
Handle urgencies as they arise.
Make you aware of only the things that absolutely cannot wait until your return.
Keep your social media activity going in addition to your spontaneous updates that you share about your vacation and family time.
Publish your blog content and send out your newsletter as usual without missing a beat.
Answer any client care questions that may come up regarding purchases or general questions.

These are just a few things your virtual assistant can provide for you during your time away. This not only applies for the holidays, but anytime of the year that you plan to be out of the office. You may even decide these tasks are things that could be outsourced on a regular basis so you can focus on what generates income for you.

I’d like to know your questions regarding outsourcing and working with a virtual team. This will help ensure you’re getting the exact information you need so you don’t hesitate when it comes to taking time off.

Post your question in the comments below. I look forward to helping make this holiday stress free not only while you’re away, but before and after you return as well.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

tiffany — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 00:15:53 +0000

Taking time to spend with Family and Friends!

Join in the festivities on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

From my home to yours…HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Much Love,
Tiffany

P.S – Next year it will be our home 2 weeks from Friday and my name changes for good!!

Face Up To Your Social Media Strategy

tiffany — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 09:44:12 +0000

Face Up To Your Social Media Strategy
Important Social Media Updates You Want To Know & Tips You Can’t Be Social Without
In This Week’s Weekend Roundup

Updates You Want To Know

Twitter to Add Photo Filters to Compete With Instagram

Social media users continue to benefit as the top sites offer more features. Twitter users who rely on Instagram to post photos with a vintage look will soon have another option. Twitter will be adding a filter for photos to its mobile apps.

Data & Results

Social Media Users Have High Expectations

When a customer has concerns, they are now likely to get in touch with a company through their social media page rather than picking up phone. How a business responds to customer issues is so important for their reputation. A new study shows that it is not enough just to respond to a customer online, because there is an expectation for the company to resolve the issue.

Tips You Can’t Be Social Without

Why Your Social Media Strategy Needs A Face

Building trust is so important to attract and keep customers. What a business shares or doesn’t share in social media has an impact on how trustworthy others find them. People really want to know more about a person or a business before handing over their hard-earned cash.

Don’t Sabotage Your Social Media: 6 Sure Ways

Some businesses mistakenly believe they don’t need to duplicate information on their social media page that visitors can find on their website. However, many followers may not visit a company website as regularly as they check for social media updates. This is just one way that a business may be sabotaging their social media efforts. See how you measure up with the rest of the checklist in this article.

Your Facebook Insights Could Hold A Hidden Gem: Your Most Popular Topics

tiffany — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 19:30:00 +0000

Your Facebook Insights Could Hold A Hidden Gem: Your Most Popular Topics
Important Social Media Updates You Want To Know & Tips You Can’t Be Social Without
In This Week’s Weekend Roundup

VIDEO BONUS: Show and Tell Tip!

Have you noticed your favorite Facebook pages are missing from your news feed? It could be do to a number of reasons. However the biggest is lack of interaction.

Sometimes you may read a post and laugh to your self or respond out loud, but never actually engaging with the post itself on Facebook. As a result some of your favorite pages may be missing from your newsfeed.

We found a way to keep this from happening. Instead of telling you, I’ll show you. It’s quick and very easy!

Click the video to play!

Updates You Want To Know

StumbleUpon, reddit and More: New Apps Hit HootSuite’s App Directory

If you already use HootSuite for your social media management you may be excited to learn that this service has been expanded to include five new platforms. This post shares some key features for each of the new additions to the HootSuite App Directory. There is even an instruction video to show you how to install these new apps.

Data & Results

Social Media Marketing: How I found the Facebook topic that was 371% more effective

An effective post is one that inspires many people to comment on and share the information. You can find your most popular topics by using the reports found on the Facebook Insights page. Using the steps in this article, you can learn how to sort through this information and find the common themes that really engage your followers.

Tips You Can’t Be Social Without

Social Media, Trick Or Treat?

Halloween is just one of many occasions where you might offer special treats to your followers on social media. These treats are important to keep customers coming back for more. Read on to learn three “tricks” you should avoid playing and what you can do instead to delight your customers.

Brands, Social Media and Customer Service: Are You Ready?

Having good customer service is an important factor in developing and keeping a good reputation for your brand. If a customer has to wait too long for a response you may lose their business or they may not refer others to purchase your product or service. Providing good customer service includes closely monitoring the activity on your social media pages and having someone who can respond in a timely and friendly manner.

14 Ways to Promote Your Latest YouTube Video

When a blogger posts a new YouTube video there are many things they can do to attract more viewers. For example, they might expand their potential audience by sharing the video on additional social media sites like Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter. The video can also be embedded in a blog post to increase activity there as well. You will find many more tips like this by reading this article.

Imagine Being Able to Purchase Within Twitter and Instagram…Enter Chirpify!

tiffany — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 16:05:01 +0000

Imagine Being Able to Purchase Within Twitter and Instagram…Enter Chirpify!
Important Social Media Updates You Want To Know & Tips You Can’t Be Social Without
In This Week’s Weekend Roundup

Updates You Want To Know

Now Playing: Video Ads Arrive On LinkedIn

LinkedIn is now offering video advertising on its self-serve platform. These video ads can sync with YouTube videos and will operate like the current text and image ads where the user can click through to see more content. With a variety of options available to pay for these ads, both small and large advertisers can try this out for brand promotion.

Chirpify expands beyond Twitter, integrates its simple in-stream commerce platform with Instagram

Brands can now use a simple tool from Chirpify to sell items on Instagram. Payments are easily facilitated through this transaction service for users who want to make a purchase or a donation. Sellers and fundraisers just need to create a listing with a specific comment and Chirpify will immediately handle the next steps to make a transaction possible.

Chirpify Enables Buying and Selling on Instagram

Some Twitter users are already familiar with in-stream commerce made available by Chirpify. Now Instagram users will have the same ability to exchange funds using PayPal without leaving the photo-sharing site. Read on to find out how this new feature works for businesses, fundraisers, and consumers.

Tips You Can’t Be Social Without

The Secret Behind Pinterest’s Growth Was Marketing, Not Engineering, Says CEO Ben Silbermann

Pinterest has grown to become one of the top sources for online referral traffic. Much of their success is attributed to their grassroots marketing efforts. They figured out right away who their active users were and focused on finding more people like them. This is a different approach than many other startups have taken, but the success of Pinterest shows just how far you can go using creative strategies to build a sense of community.

Tweets Spawn Ad Campaigns

The great thing about social media is that it gives consumers a voice. Samsung recently created a popular television ad that reflects the comments and complaints on Twitter about one of their competitors. This interesting article shares how other companies have used feedback on social media for their ad campaigns.

Clicks Aren’t Good Enough, YouTube Viewers Must Stick Around

tiffany — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 02:15:26 +0000

Clicks Aren’t Good Enough, YouTube Viewers Must Stick Around
Important Social Media Updates You Want To Know & Tips You Can’t Be Social Without
In This Week’s Weekend Roundup

Updates You Want To Know

LinkedIn Endorsements: The Latest Profile Addition

In addition to getting personal recommendations on LinkedIn, the site is now providing an easy way for colleagues to verify the skills listed on a user’s profile. This new endorsements feature works with the keywords listed in the section for Skills & Expertise. Contacts only need to click once for each skill they want to endorse. Read on for more information about this new feature.

YouTube Search now ranks videos according to time spent watching, rather than clicks

YouTube previously ranked videos based on the number of clicks for each video. Since a click may include someone who only watches a video for a couple of seconds, it makes sense for a video to be ranked according to the time actually spent watching it. For those who use YouTube Analytics, you will now see the estimated minutes watched for your videos.

How to Maximize Your New Twitter Profile

Social media sites are continuing to add new features that help users create more appealing profiles for their audience. Twitter has made some changes recently to make the site more visual, and this article provides a great summary of these new features. If you still need to activate your new profile header, you will find instructions to help you get started with that.

Tips You Can’t Be Social Without

How The Facebook Like Mentality Has Changed

Facebook users have different motivations for liking a page, and companies analyzing this information have found that these motivations have changed over the past couple of years. This means that brands may also need to change their content and strategies. Fans may want something in return for liking a brand, but more and more they are looking for a place to engage.

5 Twitter Lessons From the Obama and Romney Campaigns

The Presidential candidates have been using Twitter because it is such a great way to reach a large audience who supports them. Followers of these candidates may feel like they are getting a real inside look, and this is something that small businesses can do as well for their followers. Here you will find five techniques used during this election campaign that can help any Twitter user stay interesting and relevant.

7 Articles To Improve Your Engagement On Social Media

tiffany — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 11:38:43 +0000

Say More Than Happy Birthday On Facebook
7 Articles To Improve Your Engagement On Social Media
In This Week’s Weekend Roundup

We know you’ve got a lot on your plate and maybe the thought of doing research about social media and the latest updates plus keeping up with what’s going on in your own industry is way too much.

We are your resource that helps you filter through all of that information. Each article selected has been handpicked with you in mind. It will feature the good stuff, the important stuff. The stuff that will make you want to do something, get a result as opposed to reading for information sake.

North Social App Allows Facebook Page Administrators To Add Instagram Photos
Facebook Lets Users Buy Real Things for Friends
Facebook Starts Showing Birthdays And Selling Gifts At The Top Of The Mobile News Feed
A Holiday Checklist For Brands On Facebook
The ROI of Social Media for Direct Sales
10 Creative Ways to Use Instagram for Business
‘Belonging’ Is a Key Driver of Brand Love in Social

If you want even more than the 7 articles worth reading follow @tiffanydparson on Twitter and the Social Media Tools & Tutorials board on Pinteret.

Updates You Want To Know

North Social App Allows Facebook Page Administrators To Add Instagram Photos

Now that Facebook has acquired Instagram, a new app has been created so users of both sites can show off their Instagram photos on their Facebook page. Their friends or followers will be able to make comments and share these photos. This will allow users to engage more through visual storytelling.

Facebook Lets Users Buy Real Things for Friends

Who doesn’t love receiving many birthday wishes posted on their Facebook page from friends? Now friends will be able to use a new tool on the site to send actual gifts for a special occasion. The gift can be announced as a message on their page, or it can be done privately to let the recipient know that the gift will soon be arriving at their home.

Facebook Starts Showing Birthdays And Selling Gifts At The Top Of The Mobile News Feed

Now that Facebook has a new tool allowing test group users to buy gifts, this option is being prominently displayed at the top of their mobile news feed along with birthdays and other special occasion announcements. These are not virtual gifts, but actual gifts to be delivered to the recipient’s home. It will be interesting to see how successful the gifts option will be, and how soon users not in the test group will be able to see birthdays and other reminders in their mobile news feed.

Tips You Can’t Be Social Without

A Holiday Checklist For Brands On Facebook

Yes, the holiday season is quickly approaching, and some good news is that retail sales are predicted to increase over last year. Many consumers are already searching for deals right now and Facebook is one platform where you can reach these shoppers. Here, TabSite offers brands a checklist of things to consider adding to their marketing strategy this season.

The ROI of Social Media for Direct Sales

Being social is not a new concept in direct sales because getting someone to make a personal recommendation for your product or service has always been a very important part of sales. In this article by Cindy Ratzlaff, she explains how the time invested in social media builds trust and relationships, and in return leads to referrals and sales. She also explains some important rules to follow when using social media for direct sales.

10 Creative Ways to Use Instagram for Business

Have you been waiting to see what happens with the popularity of Instagram before deciding to expand your web presence to this site? As the use of the photo-sharing site continues to rise, it could be time to make the move and start engaging with this community. This article gives 10 creative ideas for adding content on Instagram.

‘Belonging’ Is a Key Driver of Brand Love in Social

Creating a sense of belonging for your customers can have a powerful impact on their loyalty and recommendations for your brand. By understanding a little more about human needs, you can use this information to create a more effective social media strategy. If you are interested in taking a more psychological approach to marketing, read on to discover how you can create more love for your brand.

5 Articles To Improve Your Results On Social Media In This Week’s Weekend Roundup

tiffany — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 16:13:36 +0000

Facebook Sponsored Ads, Display Ads, or Both?
5 Articles To Improve Your Results On Social Media
In This Week’s Weekend Roundup

We know you’ve got a lot on your plate and maybe the thought of doing research about social media and the latest updates plus keeping up with what’s going on in your own industry is way too much.

Referrals to Facebook Spike 1000% After Twitter Cuts Off LinkedIn
Facebook’s Sponsored Stories Are Way More Effective Than Display Ads
4 Reasons to Be More Visual
7 Ways LinkedIn Can Drive More Traffic to Your Website
Facebook Beta Launches New Mobile Ad Network Using Your Data To Target You With Banner Ads In Other Apps

If you want even more than the 5 articles worth reading follow @tiffanydparson on Twitter and the Social Media Tools & Tutorials board on Pinteret.

Data & Results

Referrals to Facebook Spike 1000% After Twitter Cuts Off LinkedIn

As of last June, Twitter is no longer syncing updates with LinkedIn and this has been good news for Facebook. Now that there is less competition, more people on LinkedIn are clicking on links to pages on Facebook. With this spike, LinkedIn has now surpassed both Google and Bing together as a source of traffic to Facebook.

Facebook’s Sponsored Stories Are Way More Effective Than Display Ads

Advertisements appearing in the News Feed for Facebook users have been found to be more effective than Marketplace ads. The chart in this article, from one of the largest ad buyers, shows just how large the gap is. This makes it clear why the biggest advertisers are using Sponsored Stories.

Tips!

4 Reasons to Be More Visual

Information presented visually is processed differently in the brain and appealing images can be more memorable than copy. A visual display of your message can stand out and capture the attention of those who feel they are suffering from information overload. Sometimes a simple message is better. This article explains why visual messages are so powerful, which may encourage you to use them more often.

7 Ways LinkedIn Can Drive More Traffic to Your Website

It is easy to overlook LinkedIn when you think about the sites that can direct more people to your website. However, LinkedIn is full of professionals who might be great clients or have a position where they can make decisions for an organization. If you want to find out how to get these LinkedIn users to visit your site, this article describes 7 different ways to go about it.

Interesting To Know

Facebook Beta Launches New Mobile Ad Network Using Your Data To Target You With Banner Ads In Other Apps

Facebook data is not only used to show relevant ads to visitors on the social networking site, but now these ads can be shown to users while they visit other sites and apps. Advertisers are able to target anonymous users based on data such as gender, age, location, and Likes. This mobile ad network is still being tested to see how relevant the ads are for people.

7 Social Media Articles To Tickle Your Ears and Get You Moving In This Week’s Weekend Roundup

tiffany — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 15:08:25 +0000

Thoughts On The New Twitter Cover Photo?
7 Social Media Articles To Tickle Your Ears and Get You Moving
In This Week’s Weekend Roundup

We know you’ve got a lot on your plate and maybe the thought of doing research about social media and the latest updates plus keeping up with what’s going on in your own industry is way too much.

Study: 1 in 5 online women are now using Pinterest
How Chobani Yogurt Used Social Media to Boost Sales
Go for the Greens: Panelists provide social media tips for businesses
3 Social Media Myths that are Preventing You from Succeeding
Twitter Rolls Out Cover Photos: How to Add Yours Today
4 Quick Tips for a Better Twitter Header
Blow Up Tweets with HootFeed

If you want even more than the 7 articles worth reading follow @tiffanydparson on Twitter and the Social Media Tools & Tutorials board on Pinteret.

Studies Show

Study: 1 in 5 online women are now using Pinterest

Women make the majority of household purchase decisions, and now many of them are using Pinterest to keep track of things they like. A report released by Pew Internet & American Life Project has found that 19 percent of the women who are online are using this site. It appeals to the interests of women and allows them to share what they are passionate about. This Pew study also includes percentages on the use of other social networking sites for comparison.

How Chobani Yogurt Used Social Media to Boost Sales

If you are wondering how effective a social media marketing strategy can be, just look at the success Chobani has had in boosting sales for their Greek yogurt. They have increased exposure to their brand by staying connected to the marketplace and sharing information that interests their customers, even if it is not directly related to their product. Continue reading to learn more about this inspiring success story.

Myths & Tips

Go for the Greens: Panelists provide social media tips for businesses

Before you post anything on your social media page, it is important to remember who your audience is and what you want to accomplish with your message. This point was emphasized at the Go for the Greens 2012 Business Development Conference for Women Entrepreneurs held last week. In this article you will find some of the other tips shared by the panelists at this conference.

3 Social Media Myths that are Preventing You from Succeeding

Sometimes when we hear the same thing over and over we tend to believe that it is true, but we have to be careful that we are not making business decisions based on a myth. It is also important not to stay too focused on one strategy because we need to evolve along with social media to make the best use of it. Find out if you are following any of these three myths about what social media is supposed to do for your business.

Twitter News & Tools

Twitter Rolls Out Cover Photos: How to Add Yours Today

You can now upload a header photo to your Twitter page that will also be visible on some mobile devices. This is a great opportunity to express who you are or what your brand is. Think about what you want your followers to see as soon as they visit your page. This blog post shows how some other brands are using this new feature and gives step-by-step instructions on how to upload your own header photo.

4 Quick Tips for a Better Twitter Header

The new Twitter profile places your avatar in the center of a horizontal header image. When choosing your new header photo, you will want to consider that your bio will appear in white font over the image. Read on for more tips and to see examples of how others are making good use of this new design.

Blow Up Tweets with HootFeed

HootFeed is a live Twitter stream that can be displayed on screens at various events to show what attendees are sharing about the live event. This encourages the audience to engage and interact more. The Twitter stream can also be displayed at a business location for customers to see what followers of the business are sharing. This customizable tool is free and simple to use.

TTF Podcast: Stop Being The Collector of Learning And DO!

tiffany — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 08:44:14 +0000

TTF Podcast: Stop Being The Collector of Learning And DO!
with Tiffany Johnson

SHOW SUMMARY

This episode of Tiffany Talks Freelancing is all about becoming a doer of what you have learned. To really take in this information I am asking you not to just listen to or read this information, but to get out your pen and paper and get ready to take some action. Here I share with you three simple but powerful steps you can take to put what you have learned into action. Are you ready to stop being a collector of learning and become a doer of learning?

This episode covers the following:

The picture posted on Instagram that sparked a lot of conversation
What it means to be a doer of what you have learned
The importance of continually marketing yourself
My experience with a LinkedIn webinar
How my recent revelation changed my approach to learning
The 3 steps you can take to become a doer of what you have learned
Being in a posture for learning
How to listen for action steps
The importance of reviewing your notes immediately
My challenge for you—here is your action step
Why my past approach to learning was not the most effective way
How the answers to your questions are revealed once you take action

Also mentioned in this episode:

Click Here to Download the Complete Transcript

Click Here to Listen to the Podcast

The Visual Side Of Social Media In This Week’s Weekend Roundup

tiffany — Sat, 15 Sep 2012 14:08:36 +0000

We know you’ve got a lot on your plate and maybe the thought of doing research about social media and the latest updates plus keeping up with what’s going on in your own industry is way too much.

20 Innovative Ways to Use Visual Content to Rock Your Facebook Page
When Social Media Marketing Doesn’t Work for You
The Rise Of Visual Social Media

If you want even more than the 3 articles worth reading follow @tiffanydparson on Twitter and the Social Media Tools & Tutorials board on Pinteret.

20 Innovative Ways to Use Visual Content to Rock Your Facebook Page

Have you been wondering how you can spruce up your Facebook page and add some visually appealing content? People may spend more time on your page if it is a fun place to be. You can hold contests, share cartoons, and ask questions to get to know your fans better. Reading the 20 tips in this article may spark some creative ideas of your own.

When Social Media Marketing Doesn’t Work for You

Some people have tried marketing with social media only to find that they get better results through referrals and meeting with people in person. This may be their initial impression, but had they stuck with it, they may have seen some better results. Sometimes the seeds you plant today take time to grow. Melinda Emerson, founder and CEO of a social media strategy and content development firm, shares five things you can do when you think social media marketing is not working for you.

The Rise Of Visual Social Media

With the rise in popularity of Instagram and Pinterest, other social media sites like Facebook are getting on board with this trend to emphasize visual content. Today’s technology makes it so easy to share photos and communicate something you may not be able to convey as well with words. If you have not yet embraced this creative way of communicating, you may be missing out on a great opportunity.

Do you want more likes, increase the number of people talking about your page AND a total increased overall engagement score? From now until September 19th, we are looking for 10 Facebook Page Owners who are interested in being a part of our Facebook Challenge. The goal is to see how much engagement improves over the course of 30 days. Click Here to learn more The Great Facebook Challenge.
It would be an honor to serve you!

Have Timelines Made Us More Social On Social Media? Even Twitter Is On Board In This Week’s Weekend Roundup

tiffany — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 14:32:27 +0000

We know you’ve got a lot on your plate and maybe the thought of doing research about social media and the latest updates plus keeping up with what’s going on in your own industry is way too much.

Facebook To Roll Out Email- and Phone Number-Based Ad Targeting Next Week
How to Build out Your Small Business Social Media Profile
Twitter announces tool to embed interactive timelines of tweets into any site
Facebook Timeline Has Made Brands More Social
New Twitter API Drops Support for RSS, Puts Limits on Third-Party Clients

If you want even more than the 5 articles worth reading follow @tiffanydparson on Twitter and the Social Media Tools & Tutorials board on Pinteret.

Facebook To Roll Out Email- and Phone Number-Based Ad Targeting Next Week

Advertisers will soon have another way to target customers on Facebook. A business will be able to enter contact information from their own customer list and have their ads target Facebook users who have the same email address or phone number as those on their customer list. Ads may be sent to the whole group or to those with a certain demographic.

How to Build out Your Small Business Social Media Profile

Have you been putting your social media profile on the back burner because you are just not sure how to proceed with it? If you have created a profile but you are not adding content to your page regularly, you may be turning away potential customers who visit your page and find little value there. Following the tips in this article can help you get back on track with your social media efforts.

Twitter announces tool to embed interactive timelines of tweets into any site

Twitter is now offering its users the ability to embed a streaming timeline of tweets on their webpage so visitors can interact with them. There are customizable options available to make the most out of this new tool. This article explains the benefits of this new feature and how it compares to similar services that some people have already been using.

Facebook Timeline Has Made Brands More Social

Many people were resistant to the timeline display on their Facebook page because they had become so comfortable with the old version. The good thing about timeline is that it has encouraged businesses to adapt and use this site in a new way to really focus on keeping their fans engaged. Many Facebook pages are now more interesting and inviting, with more social interaction happening.

New Twitter API Drops Support for RSS, Puts Limits on Third-Party Clients

Twitter has been implementing many changes recently so that users on different platforms and devices can have a similar experience. With version 1.1 of its API now released, Twitter will no longer be supporting RSS, XML, or Atom, which many people have relied on for their data feeds. Find out how this and other changes may impact you.

Do you want more likes, increase the number of people talking about your page AND a total increased overall engagement score?

From now until September 19th, we are looking for 10 Facebook Page Owners who are interested in being a part The Great Facebook Challenge. The goal is to see how much engagement improves over the course of 30 days. Click Here to learn more».

Did You Know You Can Do This In WordPress: Add A Link To Your Image Caption

tiffany — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 08:44:13 +0000

Testing captions with links www.facebook.com/tiffanyparsonbiz

Did You Know You Can Do This In WordPress:
Add A Link To Your Image Caption
by Tiffany JohnsonI enjoy getting questions in my inbox because it sparks creativity. By knowing what you want to know I can deliver great content and also help someone else who hadn’t even thought to ask the question.

Recently I received a question about using captions with images and adding links. I thought it was perfect for kicking off a new category here on the blog ‘WordPress Tutorials’.

This is the HTML code used in the video:

Put whatever text you want here www.yourlink.com

Now that you are finished watching the video, please share in the comments how you will use this feature.

TTF Podcast: What To Do When Feeling Isolated or Bored

tiffany — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 08:40:33 +0000

TTF Podcast: What To Do When Feeling Isolated or Bored
with Tiffany Johnson

SHOW SUMMARY

Being a freelancer comes with many benefits, but if you work alone most of the day you may feel isolated or even bored. There are things you can do to keep your energy up and stay motivated to continue in your work. Do you remember how much fun it was to take a field trip and get out of the classroom as a child? Well, you can incorporate this same practice into your workday by following the tips shared in this episode of Tiffany Talks Freelancing.

This episode covers the following:

How to recharge when you spend most of the day working alone
Getting rid of projects you hate and doing what keeps you excited
What to do when you’re not feeling motivated
Taking a field trip—how a change of scenery can help
Using rewards and incentives to treat yourself
Taking care of your body and paying attention to what it needs
Setting reminders to take breaks throughout the day
Why going to Staples is not a chore for me
Escaping the virtual world by reaching out to other people
Being present and taking a mental break from your work
Why being a freelancer is so much fun

Also mentioned in this episode:

e.ggtimer.com

Click Here to Download the Complete Transcript

Click Here to Listen to the Podcast

Social Media Requires: Engage First, Ask Questions, Sell Us Later In This Week’s Weekend Roundup!

tiffany — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 13:43:55 +0000

We know you’ve got a lot on your plate and maybe the thought of doing research about social media and the latest updates plus keeping up with what’s going on in your own industry is way too much.

Your Twitter Followers Aren’t Fake, They’re Just Shy
21 Social Media Marketing Statistics
#The Rules of Social Media: Asking Me To Follow You On Twitter Guarantees I Won’t
Creating Your Social Media Editorial Calendar
The Art of Questions For Engaging a Facebook Community
Uh Oh! Amazon Researchers Say Pinterest Doesn’t Generate A Lot Of Sales

If you want even more than the 7 articles worth reading follow @tiffanydparson on Twitter and the Social Media Tools & Tutorials board on Pinteret.

Your Twitter Followers Aren’t Fake, They’re Just Shy

Could some of your Twitter followers be fake accounts created as a sales tool? Using the Fake Follower Check, some have found that only 70 percent of their followers are actual people, but is this tool accurate? Read on to find out how seriously you should take this claim that many of your followers may not be who you think they are.

Twitter no longer displays what client a tweet was posted with on web, emphasizing first-party apps

You may have noticed that your tweets on both the iPhone and web versions of Twitter no longer show which device you used to post your message. This move was made to reduce the use of third-party clients for sending tweets. Your followers will still see your messages just the same, but without the tag showing how it was sent.

21 Social Media Marketing Statistics

Many businesses have been slowly dipping their toe in the water of social media, wondering how effective this form of marketing really is. Maybe you recognize the importance of having a social media presence but you need some hard facts to convince someone else of this. Reviewing these statistics may change how you connect with your clients and customers. For example, do you know the best time of day to post information in order to get the highest number of click throughs?

#The Rules of Social Media: Asking Me To Follow You On Twitter Guarantees I Won’t

Potential followers can be turned off by the very efforts you are making to expand your social media audience or make important connections. Rather than directly asking people to follow you, it may be more effective to keep your content interesting enough so that your followers will share it with others. Cindy Gallop, an entrepreneur heavily involved in social media, shares this wisdom along with other advice on how to gain followers.

Creating Your Social Media Editorial Calendar

Having a social media editorial calendar can be a critical part of carrying out a successful marketing campaign. Perhaps you have set up profiles on the most popular social media sites and you are wondering what to do next. It is important to have a strategy in place to make the most of the marketing opportunities on these sites. Putting the suggestions in this article into action will help ensure that your social media time is well spent.

The Art of Questions For Engaging a Facebook Community

The best interviewers know how to skillfully ask questions that engage other people in a conversation. This is an art that can be practiced and applied to your Facebook posts. Imagine posting a message and seeing the number of likes, comments, and shares continue to rise beyond what you anticipated. You can start now by applying the suggestions in this article to engage your Facebook fans.

Uh Oh! Amazon Researchers Say Pinterest Doesn’t Generate A Lot Of Sales

Pinterest has gained a lot of buzz recently, but one major company has found that their customers may be more likely to share their purchases on Pinterest, but it is the shares on Facebook and Twitter that generate more revenue. However, a different study found just the opposite to be true. Perhaps this is why it is so important to be involved in multiple social media sites, because you never know where your next customer may come from.

We’d love the opportunity to serve you with your social media content management. Having a virtual team handle the task of scheduling your regular updates is invaluable, especially during the summer.
Please visit Social Media Services.
It would be an honor to serve you!

I Heard Twitter Does Not Create Sales

tiffany — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 18:39:46 +0000

I Heard Twitter Does Not Create Sales
by Tiffany Johnson

Recently someone asked if Twitter was worth it, because they heard you can’t make money using Twitter. As I was reading the comment, I just shook my head, because I know differently.

First of all, you should not set out to use any type of social media to sell your wares. When it comes to SOCIAL media, it’s about being social first. You know, building relationships.

Why do so many people get awkward when it comes to being social online?

Could it be because we’ve always had a “corporate us” and “home us” and now things have changed that are requiring us to merge the two? Not realizing that you’ve been the one person all along.

It’s time to relax and be your wonderful, marvelous, and unique self God created you to be and on some days that means talk about your food. Yes, I know, but we do want to know.

Why do you think people aren’t interested in what you’re eating?

How many times have you been out to eat and the waiter or waitress walks by with a large tray of food and your eyes follow it to someone else’s table. You in turn look at all of the dishes while trying to decide what you’re going to eat. Or maybe you’re already eating your food and more than likely your eyes still follow the large tray of food. Similar concept when it comes to social media.

We’re interested in what other people are doing.

Ever been sitting somewhere, maybe at a hair salon or doctors office, and while minding your own business, reading a book, someone comes along and asks, “what are you reading?” This in turn sparks up a conversation whether you feel like it or not around your book. You’ve now found a common ground which may cause you to talk about other things. This is exactly how things flow on Facebook and Twitter. When there’s a common interest, we want to talk about it, share it, or at least let the other person know that we, LIKE it!

Back to the question about whether you can make money on Twitter…it completely depends on your social engagement.

Are you fun to hang around?

The great part about social media is you can be fun and full of energy whether you physically feel like it or not. Your fingers do the talking and interacting for you. I’ve found this to be true, the more energy and fun I’m having from being online, the more energy and fun I start to have offline.

When you’re fun to hangout with, we don’t mind you sharing your product or service because we’ve already connected in some way.

I feel like I know you and may even be calling you by first name. This is why it’s SO important to use a friendly, warm, and welcoming pic on your profiles. If I cannot bare looking at your profile pic, or it gives me the heebie jeebies, or I say “man, I wish she would change that pic”, guess what folks? This translates to not wanting to hang around you, which means you won’t have the opportunity to share your stuff.

If you’re not on the main platforms of social media like Facebook and Twitter, you will not have the opportunity to see whether social media makes you money or not. All I know is that I have met several clients on Twitter and they were not responding to an all points bulletin that said:

“WE’RE CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR WORDPRESS AND SOCIAL MEDIA CLIENTS. PLZ RT” or

Click “LIKE” and comment below if your Virtual Assistant just went on vacation and you need someone right now. We’re open for ya!

Be fun to hangout with FIRST and then we can discuss what you’ve got for sale.

P.S – We’ve got a Facebook Challenge coming up. We want to help you build engagement and community on your Facebook page. It won’t be for everyone. The details are being finalized as you read this. Look for it!

Yes Instagram PLUS The New “Professional” For Social Media In This Week’s Weekend RoundUp!

tiffany — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 14:24:32 +0000

We know you’ve got a lot on your plate and maybe the thought of doing research about social media and the latest updates plus keeping up with what’s going on in your own industry is way too much.

5 Ways to Grow Your Exposure With Instagram
What Does “Professional” Look Like Today?
Social media demographics 2012: 24 sites including Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn
The U.S. election, live on YouTube
Facebook debuts two-paned Messages view, adds keyboard shortcuts
Tumblr becomes next property after Instagram to have Twitter friend-finding privileges revoked
Your Facebook Posts Reach 16% of Fans…THE HORROR!

If you want even more than the 7 articles worth reading follow @tiffanydparson on Twitter and the Social Media Tools & Tutorials board on Pinteret.

5 Ways to Grow Your Exposure With Instagram

Instagram is quickly growing as a fun way to share photos. You may think of this as a tool for personal use, but it just might be something helpful for your business. Photo sharing has become more prominent on sites like Facebook and particularly with Pinterest. This article explains the different ways you can use Instagram to promote your business and encourage other people to share your photos.

What Does “Professional” Look Like Today?

The virtual world makes it so easy to send a message out to a large audience, but the pressure to respond quickly may conflict with your need to maintain your professional image. What is important is staying true to yourself while maintaining your connection with those involved in your work. Perhaps you might want to adopt some of these views of what the new professional looks like today.

Social media demographics 2012: 24 sites including Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn

With so many social media sites in use today, it can be difficult to determine which ones have the type of audience you are trying to reach. Maybe you have heard about a site but you don’t know if the users are within the age group that you are targeting, or which sites are used more often by women or men. If this is the case, you will likely find this demographics study done by Pingdom to be very helpful.

The U.S. election, live on YouTube

YouTube has become such a popular way to broadcast information that it is now being used to share live events related to the upcoming election. Perhaps this might inspire you to create your own channel on YouTube. You can join many other businesses who reap the benefits of displaying their videos along with links to their other social media sites and website.

Facebook debuts two-paned Messages view, adds keyboard shortcuts

Facebook has made some visual and functional changes to the way messages, chats, and emails are displayed. Along with these improvements comes the addition of keyboard shortcuts to help with the use and navigation of messages. Find out more about these new features so you can be prepared when they appear on your Facebook page.

Tumblr becomes next property after Instagram to have Twitter friend-finding privileges revoked

Tumblr will no longer provide the ability to find your friends who are using Twitter, while the options to find friends using Facebook or Gmail still remain. Other sites may be forced to follow suit. This article attempts to explain why Twitter has taken a tougher stance on how information is shared about its users.

Your Facebook Posts Reach 16% of Fans…THE HORROR!

The title of this article may have you wondering if this information is indeed true, and if it is, what you can do to improve the situation. Facebook uses a formula to determine the Top News for each user and your post may not be featured long enough for most of your fans to see it. Here, Jon Loomer shares his thoughts on the impact of this and how you can respond to it.

You’re Being Charged For Your Unsubscribes On AWeber

tiffany — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 08:50:07 +0000

You’re Being Charged For Your Unsubscribes On AWeber
by Tiffany Johnson

A while back I wrote an article with some surprising information about MailChimp. Just this week I learned something about AWeber. You may or may not already be aware of it, however I thought it was important enough to share.

The pricing structure at Aweber is based on the number of contacts in your account. Up until this point I had interpreted that to mean subscribers. However contacts doesn’t mean subscribers it means contacts which includes those who have unsubscribed as well.

Our list is growing which is great and prior to this I had no idea, in fact knowing wouldn’t have made a significant difference. When I got the notice that we had been bumped to the next level on AWeber I was excited. I have no problems paying additional this means our list is growing. YAY!

Of course I had to go immediately to my AWeber account just to see with my own eyes and be happy because of our progress. I’m looking at our numbers and something is not adding up. Then I realized what was happening. We were being charged for everyone who has ever been added to our list.

I quickly got AWeber on live chat because it was just too early to speak with anyone on the phone and they explained the situation. Okay no problem, however I wanted to know how to delete the unsubscribes in my contact lists.

After the person on the other end explained they also advised that I hold on to the unsubscribes because I may want to do some analysis to determine why they become unsubscribes in the first place. Think about this, do you want to know what happened with the unsubscribes on your list? Is it important to know why they unsubscribed?

I can easily see how this would be important if all of sudden a large percentage made a mass exodus from your list. However, we have been collecting names and emails since early 2010. There wasn’t any significant reason to go combing through why someone unsubscribed back in 2010. I already know the answer to that and it had to do with the free offer. A 7 week eCourse just wasn’t immediate enough for who we were looking to attract. We’ve learned so much since then.

All in all, I’m still a big fan of AWeber and the unsubscribes have all been removed from our precious contacts lists so everything is all good.

If you’re not sure about AWeber, this is a great starting point Why AWeber and 3 Not So Obvious, But Very Important Things About MailChimp. And if you’re curious how to remove the unsubscribes on your list here’s how:

Step 1: Select Your Current List. In the Navigation Menu select Subscribers > Search

Step 2: Select ‘Unsubscribe’ from the dropdown and then hit ‘Search’

Step 3: Click ‘Erase’ which is the last column. This will check the box for all of the contacts listed. Then click ‘Save’

Your unsubscribes are now removed from your list!

Please note it may take a while to update on your home tab. Also note, once the unsubscribes are gone they’re gone.

Why I Recommend Job Boards To Start Your Career As A Virtual Assistant

tiffany — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 08:45:54 +0000

Why I Recommend Job Boards To Start Your Career As A Virtual Assistant
by Tiffany Johnson

Today’s article post was inspired by the emails I’ve received just this week about being a virtual assistant or business in general. When my mentors give me advice I take heed to it. One of them being to operate your business as though you had thousands of clients and people interacting with you.

When I first started my business I didn’t know any better. I was very excited about what I’d discovered and at that point had not invested a whole lot of money into continual learning or coaching programs. Back then you could get me on the phone, schedule a lunch, or chat online to discuss how online business works for freelancers. I don’t do that any more. I found that I was the one exhausted in the end and the other person had this good information that would just sit and not be acted upon. How did I know that? Because they’d return for more questions or I’d check-up and casually ask about it. I quickly learned you cannot care more about someone else’s dreams or gifts than they do. I committed to not doing that anymore because it only frustrated me.

I have since invested not only time but money into my education and coaching to learn more and get wisdom from those who have been where I want to go. It’s been worth every ounce of my time and money. Not only do I listen to what they say but I watch what they do and how they run their business. I cannot pick up the phone and have an impromptu coaching session. I cannot send a direct message on Facebook and expect a response. I cannot send an email with the same message I sent on Facebook and expect someone to respond because now I’ve sent multiple messages. Instead there’s a set schedule in place that is adhered to and it’s a part of a higher level coaching program. Our company follows that that same model which works great because I don’t like picking up the phone unless a call has been scheduled. I’ve found most people get straight the point when they have to type out a message as opposed to talking. Plus email is much less invasive on someone’s time.

If you’re interested in becoming a virtual assistant here’s a couple of starting questions:

Have you ever worked with a client virtually before?
What skills do you have or are interested in learning so you can provide that service to a client?

If you have never worked with a virtual client I’m going to point you in the direction of Elance or another job board of your choice and here’s why:

If you’ve never worked with a client virtually how do you know you’re going to like what you are doing. By submitting proposals to job boards your are bidding on projects as opposed to ongoing client work. If you don’t like it, you do not have to continue bidding.
It requires discipline to work virtual from your home or where ever you may be. You have no idea what it’s like to work without boundaries or limits until you are in that situation. You could easily over work yourself or allow too much time to pass by and be in a time crunch causing yourself stress. I’ve been in both situations.
The grass is not greener on the other side unless you nurture it. There are many virtual service providers who are very causal in regards to what they do. It takes a while to see the full picture that you are running a business whether you consider it that or not. The client on the other side is taking their business seriously and when they outsource to someone they expect the same in return. Whether you are working on a project to project basis or have a full blown virtual assistant business providing services to regular clients you must nurture that business accordingly. This is not something you enter into because it sounds like a good plan or you saw someone else who was successful and decided “me too, I want to do it too.”

If you are standing on the sidelines trying to figure out if this is the right thing or you know it’s the right thing and have not taken the opportunity to work with a virtual client it’s time to do so now. A great place to start is on a job board like Elance. In my training courses I consider it like dipping your big toe in the water to test how it is. If you have a profile on Elance that’s collecting dust, it’s time to make a decision and do something. Either you want it or not.

Decision makers run their race.

While you’re still wondering around, asking a zillion questions, waiting to see the results of the decision makers, you’ve been out lapped several times. Decide on something and go for it. If your decision is wrong, you do get a chance to make another one.

It’s my personal desire to see you successful as a freelancer or virtual assistant, however it’s up to you what you do with the information once it’s received. No phone call, discussion over coffee, or Skype chat is going to make you take action. That’s all up to you. What will you do?

7 Social Media Articles We Couldn’t Let You Miss In This Week’s Weekend Roundup!

tiffany — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 14:25:00 +0000

We know you’ve got a lot on your plate and maybe the thought of doing research about social media and the latest updates plus keeping up with what’s going on in your own industry is way too much.

We are your resource for all the latest updates on social media. Each article selected has been handpicked with you in mind. It will feature the good stuff, the important stuff. The stuff that will make you want to do something, get a result as opposed to reading for information sake.

How to use social media to promote live events
Easy Social Media Content Creation
Three social media don’t do’s
Why Your Small Business Should Think Like a Comedian
7 Things Your Social Media Consultant Should Tell You
How To Optimize Your Facebook Posts For Mobile
Bad News For Bieber? Klout Unveils Redesign And A Scoring System That Looks At Real World Influence

If you want even more than the 7 articles worth reading follow @tiffanydparson on Twitter and the Social Media Tools & Tutorials board on Pinteret.

How to use social media to promote live events

Is it best to approach online marketing and offline marketing differently or can these efforts be joined? For example, your online marketing through social media can be used to promote and attract attendees for your live events. Read on for tips you can use before, during and after the event.

Easy Social Media Content Creation

Are you aware of the latest strategies and best practices for social media marketing? Is your social media content keeping your followers fully engaged? It is possible to integrate external content to create additional interest in your own content. Find out more about the simple tools that are available for you to stay on top of industry trends and share the topics your fans are most interested in.

Three social media don’t do’s

Many businesses are taking advantage of the free marketing opportunities through social media sites. It is a great way to expand your audience, but there are some common errors that people make. Could you be doing something that is actually turning your customers off? Learn what to avoid so you can build better relationships with your online followers.

Why Your Small Business Should Think Like a Comedian

We have heard that it’s cheaper to keep a customer than to get a new one. It is important not to ignore loyal customers by focusing too much on trying to win over new ones. Successful comics may have something to teach us about how to keep an audience engaged with fresh content.

7 Things Your Social Media Consultant Should Tell You

When you entrust a critical part of your business to a consultant, you want to make sure they have the expertise to take your company to the next level. Your consultant should be teaching you everything they know, even if that means you may eventually no longer need them. In this candid article, Fast Company’s social media editor shares the important information you should be receiving from your consultant.

How To Optimize Your Facebook Posts For Mobile

According to current trends, more than half of your followers may be accessing your Facebook page on their mobile device. Perhaps you have been posting content that is only appealing to those using their desktop. These tips can help you make sure you are keeping all of your fans engaged by emphasizing the right content.

Bad News For Bieber? Klout Unveils Redesign And A Scoring System That Looks At Real World Influence

Klout has made some recent changes in how influence is measured. The new scoring system includes many more data points to determine real-world influence, not just online influence. You can read more about these changes and how this tool can benefit you.

The Question Is Not How, But Why?

tiffany — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 16:34:43 +0000

Editor Note:

I read this article and it’s kind of messed up my afternoon, in a good way. I’ve cried and I’ve questioned myself as to why I’m doing what I’m doing. What’s my reason beyond myself?

We’ve heard from people interested in working online as VAs as well as clients asking how they can improve their numbers. I have one question, why?.

Much love,
Tiffany

********************************

Why do you want an online business?

Why do you want to be a freelancer?

Why do you want to be a virtual assistant?

Why do you want x number of fans on Facebook?

Why do you want x number of people following you on Twitter or connecting with you on LinkedIn?

Why?

What are you going to do when they get there?

They’ve done what you wanted, now what? Will you over load them with sales pitches or will you genuinely care?

The ones who care are the ones we enjoy being around and associating ourselves with. The ones who care challenge us to be our best when we feel like giving up.

The ones who care charge us to take a stand against something not just to increase our net worth but to increase the net worth of others. To lead someone else into their destiny instead of down a road of destruction.

Sure it’s amazing to sit at your dining room table and work, creating, building a dream. However if you don’t know why then what’s the point.

Your why is way bigger than a car, house, family, debt freedom, it’s way bigger than that. If that was it your time would be up. But it’s not you’re here.

As long as you’re here do something!

Social Media and the Search Engine PLUS Who’s Pinning Who In This week’s Weekend Roundup!

tiffany — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 13:26:24 +0000

We know you’ve got a lot on your plate and maybe the thought of doing research about social media and the latest updates plus keeping up with what’s going on in your own industry is way too much.

3 Ways to Use Social Media to Improve Your Search Rankings
Using Social Media to Test Your Idea Before You Try to Sell It
How to Find Out Who Is Pinning Your Photos on Pinterest
Don’t Be Disliked: 6 Popular Facebook Marketing Mistakes
How to write for Facebook

If you want even more than the 5 articles worth reading follow @tiffanydparson on Twitter and the Social Media Tools & Tutorials board on Pinteret.

3 Ways to Use Social Media to Improve Your Search Rankings

Are you aware of how the latest algorithm changes by Google are impacting the traffic coming to your website? Google’s increased focus on web spam is making social media more important than ever. Find out which techniques you can use to adjust your social media marketing and improve the SEO strength of your website.

Using Social Media to Test Your Idea Before You Try to Sell It

Figuring out how much to charge for your product or service can be a difficult task. Companies once relied on focus groups, but many have shifted to using social media for market research. Through sites like Twitter, small business can now determine what their customers are interested in and what they are willing to pay for it. Check out how these companies have used social media sites to get customer feedback.

How to Find Out Who Is Pinning Your Photos on Pinterest

The great thing about Pinterest is that when other users see your photo and click on it, they’ll be taken directly to your website. Until Pinterest offers an efficient way to track referrals to your site, the best way to do this is by paying attention to your followers and repins. Review this article to make sure you are using the tools available to further engage people who have already expressed an interest in some aspect of your business.

Don’t Be Disliked: 6 Popular Facebook Marketing Mistakes

Keeping your Facebook page up to date is just as important as keeping your website up to date. You may already have a Facebook page for your business, but are you aware of the best methods for using this site as a marketing tool? Continue reading to find out the mistakes to avoid so you can gain more fans and strengthen the relationships with the ones you already have.

How to write for Facebook

Many of us are well aware that social media sites are constantly evolving. Making the most of your presence on these sites requires you to keep up with these changes. This is particularly important for those who write content for social media. Knowing who your readers are allows you to craft messages that will inspire them to take action. These additional tips can help you stay focused on what is most important.

How To Get Up And Running With Blog Talk Radio

tiffany — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 20:41:44 +0000

How To Get Up And Running With Blog Talk Radio
by Tiffany Johnson

A few weeks ago a question was posed to me on my Facebook page:

How do you get up and running with blog talk radio?

Up until that point I hadn’t thought about taking you through the steps on getting setup. I’ve been recommending it as a way of practicing for your teleseminars, etc however the how to wasn’t included. Today’s issue is all about how to get setup with Blog Talk Radio and also a few fun tricks you may not have realized was possible with this tool.

First things first, determine what you want your show to be about. This will help when it’s time to create a title, description, and select keywords that best describe your subject matter.

You’ll also want a nice graphic to be included as it will be used each time your show airs. It’s also the image that comes up whenever the link to your Blog Talk Radio Show is shared on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+. You can also have a different graphic specific for each show.

It’s important to note this information can change over time. You may start off one way and decide to switch and that’s fine. It’s what happened to us as well. All previous episodes will feature the original information.

The updates will apply to any new episodes.

Here’s a short video on the setup process:

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If for some reason you do not see the video please click here.

From here you want to step through your account and update your settings for your Profile, My Page, Content, Notifications, and Password if needed.

You can have notifications setup so a reminder is be sent to both you and your subscribers a few hours prior to your show. Get ready, get ready, it’s time to go live!

You’re all set! Until show time…

In order for your show to start, you must be physically present. This means you have to dial-in to the host line and put in your host pin code to get the show started.
Otherwise those who call in to your show will hear the Blog Talk Radio announcer until the show starts. You definitely do not want that.

One thing you may not realize is although you have to be physically present you do not actually have to say anything live. That’s right, you don’t even have to talk. I’m sure you’re wondering how is that possible?

The very first blog talk radio show I ever did was on July 21st 2011. I scheduled it as a result of a blog post. However, when the time came for the show I get EXTREMELY nervous when the Blog Talk Radio announcer came on and said:

“Your show will start in 5 minutes.”

“Your show will start in 2 mins 30 secs.”

“Your show will start in 1 min.”

“Your show will start in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1″

I was live, sweating, tongue tied and had no idea what to say. I went blank. I saw that someone had logged on to the chatroom to listen to the call which made me even more nervous. I didn’t know what to do so I clicked the big red button:

Yes, I killed the episode. I didn’t want it to be full of ‘ums and uhs’ for 15 minutes. I had to quickly regroup and figure out what to do. I had posted on Facebook that we were having our first show and I knew I had to record something for my blog post.

I rescheduled it for later that afternoon and get myself together. I was ready the second time around. From that point forward I was always prepared, but hated how nervous I got when hearing the announcer. I still get nervous, however I came up with a solution.

I learned that you can pre-record your show using just about any method of choice these days. A digital recorder, a recorder on your smartphone, Sound Cloud, Audacity, whatever method you prefer to record audio and get an MP3 file. For some systems you may have to convert your .wav file to MP3.

Blog Talk Radio will accept a .wav file, however I found it to be much larger than when I converted to MP3. One day the show was going to air in just minutes and I needed my audio to load much faster than it was, so I immediately converted it to MP3 using iTunes and it loaded in no time.

These days sometimes the shows are pre-recorded and sometimes they are actually me speaking live. Either way, I’m always there to press the button just like they do at the radio station. I even have intro music which I think is pretty cool and I like playing it before and after the show starts.

This video shows exactly where to go to upload your audio. It also goes into the studio to show where you control your show.

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If for some reason you do not see the video please click here.

Once you’ve got your audio uploaded, you can control your entire show from your iPad. It’s important to note again you will have to be physically present to dial in to the show, but the rest can be done with the push of a button.

Also, if you’re interested in using the chat feature, you will need to be on a a newer iPad version that supports Flash.

Be sure and come back to let us know how your Blog Talk Radio show turned out.

Twitter Says ‘NO’ To Instagram and What To Do If Your Industry Is Too Blah for Social Media In This Weekend Roundup!

tiffany — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 09:28:56 +0000

We know you’ve got a lot on your plate and maybe the thought of doing research about social media and the latest updates plus keeping up with what’s going on in your own industry is way too much.

Facebook Adds ‘Also On’ Box To Timeline Pages That Directs Logged-Out Users To Websites
3 Ways to Make Your Social Media Efforts More Productive
Twitter Has Begun to Cut Off Instagram – Is Facebook Next?
HootSuite Extends Its Social Media Wings With Evernote, Storify, Zendesk Integrations
Six Social Media Tips for Business Owners in Boring Industries

If you want even more than the 5 articles worth reading follow @tiffanydparson on Twitter.

Facebook Adds ‘Also On’ Box To Timeline Pages That Directs Logged-Out Users To Websites

Facebook has made a change that will benefit you as a Page Owner. Now, if someone who isn’t logged into Facebook visits your page, they can reach you much more easily. How? Facebook now offers up your website url in the public view of your site. View this article for a screenshot of Facebook’s charitable move. I can hear the cheers from User Experience experts everywhere.

3 Ways to Make Your Social Media Efforts More Productive

Everyone has an opinion on where your company should be with regard to social media. Sometimes that noise can be too much. These three quick tips show you how to shut off the noise and take a small bite out of this huge social media apple.

Twitter Has Begun to Cut Off Instagram – Is Facebook Next?

What’s going on with Twitter? First they cut LinkedIn’s access to Tweets, now they’re implementing restraints to Instagram users. Are they gearing up to grow their brand with the help of Apple or just feeling a little jilted that Instagram chose to live happily ever after with Facebook? Keep an eye on these acquisitions, they will certainly change the way you do business with social media.

HootSuite Extends Its Social Media Wings With Evernote, Storify, Zendesk Integrations

While Twitter is shutting other companies out, Hootsuite is inviting them in, with a bevy of new integrations. Their goal, to be your one stop shop for all things social. Read on to see who Hootsuite has welcomed onto their short list of apps and how this will make your life a little easier.

Six Social Media Tips for Business Owners in Boring Industries

So, you’ve heard that a social media strategy is a must have, but you aren’t sure if your industry is cut out for it. Your business or industry doesn’t have the greatest reputation for engaging users in personal conversation. What do you do? Do you stay out of it all or can you possibly find some piece of your business that will draw people in?

Radical Changes And Your Social Media Will In This Weekend Roundup!

tiffany — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 13:54:05 +0000

We know you’ve got a lot on your plate and maybe the thought of doing research about social media and the latest updates plus keeping up with what’s going on in your own industry is way too much.

Facebook Radically Changes ‘Reach’ Metric: How You Were Affected
Ask Shama: Help! Our Facebook Page Isn’t Getting Many Likes
Why You Need a Social Media Will
Testing the Impact of Your Social Media Posting on Search Engine Results
Is Pinterest right for your social media campaign?

If you want even more than the 5 articles worth reading follow @tiffanydparson on Twitter.

Facebook Radically Changes ‘Reach’ Metric: How You Were Affected

Breaking News, Facebook has made yet another change. Though it’s sometimes hard to keep track of Facebook changes, this one may be good news. Or at least, more accurate news. Learn how far your posts have actually reached with their newly defined stat.

Ask Shama: Help! Our Facebook Page Isn’t Getting Many Likes

Now that Facebook stats are more accurate, how can you use what you know to grow your following? In this brief article, Shama helps us understand the audience’s need to “Like” and be liked. With this knowledge, we can make better decisions about advertising and driving traffic to Facebook pages. One small change in your mindset, can make a big difference in your Likeability.

Why You Need a Social Media Will

In the event of your unfortunate demise, who will get your money? Your assets? What about…your Facebook account? The U.S. Government has released new suggestions on appointing an executor of your online estate. When you review the privacy policies and regulations of the sites you frequent, you’ll understand the need to make this process easier for whomever you choose. And if you don’t have a regular will in place, there are a few tips for that as well.

Testing the Impact of Your Social Media Posting on Search Engine Results

You’ve heard of SEO, but what do you know about Social Search? In the past two years , the major search engines have made social media activity a factor in search rankings. Now, it’s up to you and your team to decide how to get the greatest impact for your brand. Keredy Stott offers up several ways to test your Social Search impact and use this data to improve future campaigns.

Is Pinterest right for your social media campaign?

As the audience on Pinterest swells, you may be pondering the age old social media question. “Do I need to be there?”. The answer, according to this article is, maybe. You’ll have to evaluate your own audience, industry and other factors then consider how the audience on Pinterest matches up. With this information on hand, you can finally make that decision.

The Latest Updates On Blog Talk Radio

tiffany — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 17:57:22 +0000

The Latest Updates On Blog Talk Radio

by Tiffany Johnson

Last Saturday I revised our Blog Talk Radio Show. The last episode was recorded in March of 2012. Since that time I receive reports on how many listeners I get per week. There were only a few weeks were the numbers were in the single digits, the rest double digits. Each time I’d think “wow, folks are still listening.” I even heard from listeners directly about the show and got positive feedback. As a result, I decided to bring it back. However I wasn’t sure when. Finally, last Saturday was it and I’m glad I did.

I really enjoy speaking about freelancing and helping to ignite the fire in others to seize the day and move forward in their dreams. Plus, some really cool stuff is happening with Blog Talk Radio and this is where you come in.

Did you know Blog Talk Radio is now incorporated with Facebook so you can prompt your show?

If you’ve ever watched a video or listened to an audio on Sound Cloud, it automatically posts to your Facebook Timeline for all to see. This is now possible with Blog Talk Radio.

Each time your show airs, it will automatically posts to your Facebook Timeline and when the replay is ready it will also post. You can even set it so when you schedule a new show that also post on your Timeline.

Blog Talk Radio is also incorporated with Twitter.

The same updates that go to Facebook can also be set to post on Twitter. Of course, you as the host have control over what you want posted. Up until this point if you wanted reminders to posts on social media, you had to do that yourself.

Additionally, you can now submit your Blog Talk Radio show to iTunes to be included as a Podcasts. How about that?

I’ve submitted my podcasts and will keep you posted on the results. It can take up to two weeks to hear back.

This is my favorite feature because I’m fascinated by podcasts and have wanted one of my own and was using Blog Talk Radio as practice. It’s also helpful in practicing for teleclasses if you find it difficult to speak before a virtual audience.

In July 2011, I introduced the first ever Blog Talk Radio show because it was part of a blog post on what you can do to prepare for your next teleclass. It’s been over a year and I’m curious to know if you’ve started your radio show.

It’s okay, I know some of you may be reading this tip for the very first time or completely forgot. Today is a great time to refresh yourself on how having an online radio show can help with your teleclasses check out this post: Blog Talk Radio and Your Next Teleclass.

5 Social Media Articles You Don’t Want To Miss

tiffany — Sat, 21 Jul 2012 09:47:22 +0000

5 Social Media Articles You Don’t Want To Miss

We know you’ve got a lot on your plate and maybe the thought of doing research about social media and the latest updates plus keeping up with what’s going on in your own industry is way too much.

Woobox Launches Instant Win For Facebook Pages
HootSuite Extends Google+ Pages to All Users
Top 5 Social Media Mistakes You Need To Avoid
How to prune your Twitter following
One Simple Secret to Social Media Success: Post Consistent Content Your Audience Loves

If you want even more than the 5 articles worth reading follow @tiffanydparson on Twitter.

Woobox Launches Instant Win For Facebook Pages

With Woobox, you can offer Facebook fans the instant gratification they desire. This app allows you to automatically select winners at random and allow visitors to come back and try again, creating repeat visitors. Using the Instant Win feature with a fangate, you’re sure to increase your Fans and Engagnent.

HootSuite Extends Google+ Pages to All Users

We asked and Hootsuite has answered. After overwhelming requests from users, you can now manage your Google+ page. Currently it only works for Pages, however you can monitor steams, manage circles and publish targeted messages. Check it out and grow your brand easily on this new and fast growing social network.

Top 5 Social Media Mistakes You Need To Avoid

There can be a steep learning curve when it comes to Social Media, but this article provides five quick tips to make sure that you don’t step into a well known pit. Heed these warnings to effectively engage your users, promote your brand and grow your following. It’s said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step and this article can be your guide.

How to prune your Twitter following

Are you being followed by robots? Social media is all about human connections, but often when growing your following you may pick up a few that don’t belong. Use the tools highlighted in this article to unfollow Twitter users based on a variety of criteria. When you do this people will unfollow you as well, but that’s a good thing.

One Simple Secret to Social Media Success: Post Consistent Content Your Audience Loves

What does your audience want to know about? When you can answer that question and provide it on a consistent basis, your Facebook engagement metrics will go through the roof. But, how do you find out? Test and measure, its the social media marketers secret sauce. Here, Beth Kanter tells you how to get your Facebook users charged up with useful and consistent content.

When Was The Last Time You Gave Your Website A Touchup?

tiffany — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 08:44:41 +0000

When Was The Last Time You Gave Your Website A Touchup?by Tiffany JohnsonWe got a facelift! Yep our website and social media channels have been transformed to all go with each other.

I’ve been holding out for a while and even had the Facebook cover for a couple of months that looked completely different from our website. Did you notice?

It shouldn’t ever be that way. You want to always make sure people realize it’s you no matter what link they click on, whether it’s your website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or anywhere else. It should always look like you.

After making the switch I’m feeling refreshed like it’s a whole new website, new me:) I like the brighter feel of the site and seems to be more fun and open. I’m far from stuffy so this website should be no where near it.

When was the last time you gave your website a refresh?

It’s been almost a year for us. When you start getting tired of looking at your own website the way it is, it’s probably time for a little sprucing up.

I used to teach group fitness and we’d do the same choreography and music for about 6 weeks and then we’d have to change it. Otherwise the members got tired of it and we the instructors got tired of it too.

You know what happens when you’re tired of looking at something or hearing something? You stop. You no longer look at it or hear it. You basically try to avoid it all cost. No way should this be happening with your online real estate. No way!

If you’re struggling with a look for your website, read this. It will help: Will The Real You Please Stand Up!

Customer Service and Social Media Go Hand In Hand

tiffany — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 08:44:30 +0000

Have you found that people are more bold online than they would be in person?

Seems like folks are more willing to express their thoughts and opinions without finding out who you are.

How do you handle that when it’s directed at your business an what you provide? This weekend roundup contains a few articles that will help you when it comes to social media down to what to do about a mean tweet.

July 14th Weekend Roundup:

3 Social Media Links To Help You Better Serve Your Customers

We know you’ve got a lot on your plate and maybe the thought of doing research about social media and the latest updates plus keeping up with what’s going on in your own industry is way too much.

We want to be your resource and help you filter through all of that information. Each article selected has been handpicked with you in mind. It will feature the good stuff, the important stuff. The stuff that will make you want to do something, get a result as opposed to reading for information sake.

Mean Tweets: Managing Customer Complaints
Why Twitter Still Rules Customer Service
10 things you didn’t know about online consumers

If you want even more than the 3 articles worth reading follow @tiffanydparson on Twitter.

Mean Tweets: Managing Customer Complaints

Your customers are on Twitter talking to each other each and every day. One day, the topics of discussion might be YOU. In this article, learn how to manage customer service complaints on Twitter and possibly turn an upset customer into a brand cheerleader for your company.

Why Twitter Still Rules Customer Service

Do you use social media to make personal connections with your customers? If a large corporation like Verizon Wireless can do it, you can too. See how one social media savvy customer battled the company’s dreaded automated phone system and won.

10 things you didn’t know about online consumers

Once you’ve made the decision to reach your customers online, you’ve got to understand their habits. This article highlights 10 things you should know about how your customers buy. Use this data, based on research from iStragey Blog, to build a social media program that works, for you and for your customers.

We’d love the opportunity to serve you with your social media content management. Having a virtual team handle the task of scheduling your regular updates is invaluable, especially during the summer. Please visit Social Media Services.
It would be an honor to serve you!

Never Been Done Before!

tiffany — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 13:39:37 +0000

I put my foot in my mouth when I posted:

Do something you’ve never done before!

I was called to the carpet to think of something I’d never done before. Ummm, I kept thinking about it.

Sure, there are lots of things I’ve never done before:

Skydiving
Ice Skating
Roller Blading
Snorkeling
Fishing
Hunting
Deep Sea Diving

Notice how they’re all related to some type of activity either outdoor or indoor.

I started to wonder why I’d never done those things and realized because I’m not interested in doing them.

The things we really want to do, we figure it out. Sure we have big dreams of things that may require more money or time, but for the most part the daily things that are right in front of us, right at our finger tips, the things we want to do within those realms…
WE DO!

The cool part about it all is that there is always something that we are unaware of, but when we find out about it and evaluate whether it’s something we’re interested in, guess what…
We go do it!

Our challenge is to get outside of complacency and being comfortable with how we do things. You know the simple stuff like:

the way you drive home
which grocery store you go to
the food you eat
your activities outside of work and church (same ole, same ole)

Let’s all strive to do something we’ve never done before or at least something different.

Take a different route this week
Approach a new project differently
Talk to a complete stranger about something other than the weather and your business
Wave to your neighbors when you drive through the neighborhood

This is my never done something before:

This blog post was written freehand meaning I didn’t over concern myself with what anyone would think about it and had fun in the process. I also did not think about one stinkin’ keyword. (I think I just stuck my tongue out at the SEO who-ha’s, don’t ask what that means, I made it up…lol!)

Now granted it took a while to get to this point, however I’M HERE! Shouldn’t blogging be that way. Fun, informative, and somewhat relaxed. I got out of corporate to move away from the suits and stuffy atmosphere. It’s crazy to create it in my own environment.
I’m stopping here:)

And if you’re still trying to keep up with someone else please don’t. Be different: What Is Your Unique Factor?

If you’ve never clicked the tweet button below, play with that, have a ball! Something different right;)

July 5th Weekend Roundup: 3 Social Media Links Worth Reading

tiffany — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 08:44:21 +0000

July 5th Weekend Roundup: 3 Social Media Links Worth Reading

I know you’ve got a lot on your plate and maybe the thought of doing research about social media and the latest updates plus keeping up with what’s going on in your own industry is way too much.

The Secret To Marketing Success On Facebook? Advertise Like Your Grandfather
Google+ announces “Events” feature that is active before, during and after your party
Twitter & LinkedIn Break Up, Disabling Automatic Posting of Tweets

If you want even more than the 3 good articles worth reading follow @tiffanydparson on Twitter.

The Secret To Marketing Success On Facebook? Advertise Like Your Grandfather

If you’ve read the book, “The Thank You Economy” by Gary Vaynerchuk, then you are familiar with this new thought. The new way is the old way. It’s about connecting with your audience. Speaking directly to their needs and in a short bite giving them what they want. This article breaks it down beautifully what works and what doesn’t work for your Facebook ads. Hear directly from Sean Burich, head of measurement at Facebook.

Google+ announces “Events” feature that is active before, during and after your party

This is pretty exciting for both on and off line events. It’s a way of including all participants of your event in the collection of photos, information, and more. I’ve been a part of events where we were put into a Facebook group beforehand so we could get to know each other, however Google+ Events takes it to a completely different level.

Twitter & LinkedIn Break Up, Disabling Automatic Posting of Tweets

You may wonder why your tweets are no longer being posted on LinkedIn from Hootsuite or any other third party system for Twitter. This is why. LinkedIn and Twitter have disconnected the plug that allowed Twitter to directly communicate with LinkedIn. Instead you’ll have to actually log into your LinkedIn account to post status updates. You can however still send your status updates from within LinkedIn to Twitter.

We’d love the opportunity to serve you with your social media content management. Having a virtual team handle the task of scheduling your regular updates is invaluable, especially during the summer. Please visit Social Media Services.
It would be an honor to serve you!

Dream Job or What Comes Natural?

tiffany — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 08:45:54 +0000

Dream Job or What Comes Natural?
by Tiffany Johnson

This morning Ann Curry will announce that she is leaving the “Today Show”. In an article on the Huffington Post she shares how this will be a sad time for her and that she’ll miss everyone.

It’s been reported that being co-host of the show was her “dream job”, however it’s also been noted that reporting more serious news comes easy for her.

What do you do? Go for the “dream” job or do what comes natural?

When we entered the world we were wired a certain way based on the set purpose and plans that God had for our lives. However, school, family, society, and ourselves have gotten in the way and interrupted the natural design flow.

At what point did we learn that challenge meant being on the right track?

And why does “easy street” have a negative connotation?

I remember in high school I would designate which class would be my “C” class. This was reserved for a subject I didn’t care for like History, Chemistry, Biology, and Physics. In my 15 year old mind, I figured I was not going to stress myself out. And so for 3 years I worked this plan.

The classes I enjoyed most, I would do extra work whether it would be graded or not simply because I enjoyed doing it.

Choosing the service, product or skill for business is no different. The sad part is for some reason many are still working from a challenge as opposed to what comes natural. Instead of accepting that writing, teaching, or drawing comes natural and easy we go for skills that are completely opposite and make developing a business harder than what it should be.

I see it way too often where people are trying to create graphics or do code when they have not been wired to do so.

When I first learned computer programming before enrolling in the program we had to take a competency test. This would help determine if we were more likely or less likely to catch on to technical concepts and logic. For those who did not get a certain score or higher they were not offered an opportunity to participate in the program.

Sure it was disappointing for some, however I’d love to check in on them today to see how they feel about it now.

As a coder, programmer I see my website from the code side of things. I recently did a quick training video for a client and she asked if she also had to be on the HTML tab in WordPress in order for the thing I was showing her to work. I didn’t even realize I was on that tab until she asked. It’s what comes natural for me.

During my pre-WordPress days I used a software program called Dreamweaver and it also had a visual editor and a source code editor. Guess which one I always went to? Exactly the source code editor. It’s what comes natural for me.

In fact writing this blog post I’m typing directly into TextWrangler and then will add the HTML code to be copied and pasted into WordPress and AWeber. By doing this I have no formatting issues and if I did, they can easily be changed within the code of course.

Each of us has a way that comes natural for doing the things we do everyday. I’ve learned not to impose my way because people think differently.

Evaluate where you’re spending the majority of your time. Are you struggling when it comes to adding widgets and code to your site or are you stubborn and determined to find a solution so you’ve convinced yourself that tearing your hair out is part of the learning process?

All I know is when we stick to what comes natural to us things work out for the best. While you’re forcing your round hole into a square peg, someone else’s peg just landed perfectly in their hole and they are reaching their goals with much less effort because it fits naturally. This does not mean there will not be challenges, it just means we don’t have to bring challenges with us.

If you know what comes easy to me would make a perfect match for what comes easy to you, please contact us.
It would be an honor to serve you!

Your Client’s Business IS Your Business

tiffany — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 08:39:20 +0000

Your Client’s Business IS Your Business
by Tiffany Johnson

For a while, I did not evaluate closely the types of businesses, thoughts, or ideas my clients were promoting. I hadn’t connected that what they were promoting meant I was promoting it too because their business would become a part of my portfolio.

Thank goodness for an experienced mentor for bringing some things to my attention. This helped me open my eyes and be on guard or better yet determine how I was going to handle what I had already committed to.

Many clients check us out through our website and social media to get a feel of who we are as a person. However, when was the last time you did this yourself as a freelancing virtual assistant?

If you were like me, you weren’t looking to determine a ‘yay’ or ‘nay’ it was just out of curiosity and to get a better understanding of your prospective client’s business.

Let’s learn from our clients and Human Resources, evaluate the message before agreeing to put your stamp on it. Remember any project you take on it’s an endorsement.

I’d love to read your thoughts. Please share in the comments below.

Is The New Facebook Plugin For WordPress Worth It?

tiffany — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 16:14:13 +0000

Is The New Facebook Plugin For WordPress Worth It?

by Tiffany Johnson

Earlier this week, Facebook announced a new plugin specific for WordPress. It allows you to easily post to your FB pages and even profile the moment your post is published.

This new plugin is quite fascinating as it also allows you to add the like, subscribe, send buttons and more.

Each week I co-host a Q&A call all about WordPress called the Forever WordPress Community for my client Sandi Krakowski.

She opened up this private weekly call to everyone today to learn how to setup the NEW Facebook WordPress plugin.

Here’s the link to learn more and get the call details:

http://www.arealchange.com/blog/all-new-facebook-for-wordpress-plugin

I sent this note out to my VIP list as soon as this was announced and the questions started coming in. Some were able to attend the call live and others just had questions.

One of my clients Vondie Lozano asked:

“I already have my wp blog posting on fb via networked blogs. And we have comments, sharing, like set up on my wp blog. Is it still worth it to have new fb/wp app? What are the advantages?”

I thought this was a great question to help breakdown why this new plugin is BIG news! At least for those of us who like posting our blog posts directly to Facebook with linkage directly back to us and the exact image we’ve posted in our blog post instead of some randomly selected image by Facebook’s API (Application Programming Interface).

Um, um, can you tell we’ve had some issues with Facebook updates?

–>Networked Blogs

Networked Blogs is an application within Facebook. It allows you to sync your blog within Facebook. It functions very similar to an RSS feed by communicating directly with your blog automatically after the initial setup. There is a slight delay in the time you publish your blog and the time it updates on Facebook.

It’s a great application and I recommend you to continue to use it on your Fan page.

This application serves a separate purpose from the new plugin for WordPress. It allows those who wish to remain on Facebook and read your blog posts to do so.

When someone clicks on a link posted by the Networked Blogs app, it takes them to a link within that app on Facebook and not on your website. Hence, Google has no idea that traffic belongs to you, instead it’s given to Networked Blogs.

The new application will post automatically to your Facebook page as well just like the Networked Blogs app except it post immediately after you hit ‘Publish’. However, when someone clicks the link they will be sent to your website to read the blog post. This means Google gives your website credit for that traffic.

I recommend you continue to use both giving people the option of where they would like to read your blog. However, you may want to rethink on directly posting to your wall from Networked Blogs and just have it update the app only.

–>Facebook comments plugin?

It’s unclear how these two plugins will work together. The developers of the plugin do advise to discontinue the use of any plugins that utilize Facebook code because they conflict. The question when it comes to removing the Facebook Comments plugin is what happens to your comments. Do they get deleted? Overwritten? What happens?

The jury is still out on this and I’m waiting for someone brave enough to test it out and let me know. I’ll be digging around on the forums as well to see what I can find out and make updates in the comments area below. Stay tuned…

If you don’t have many Facebook comments, I’d go for it and test the new plugin out. Just don’t activate the comments. (Actually, that goes for anyone using the plugin right now. Don’t use the comments option it will completely block any past WordPress comments and put an error message on your site. Yeah, it’s a bully like that.)

–>Already using plugins that provide the like, share, or send on Facebook?

How many plugins is that? I had more than one to do those things because one plugin functioned better than the other. Or I liked the placement of the like button better than another so I ended up with several Facebook sharing plugins. The new Facebook plugin for WordPress allows you to consolidate those plugins into one.

The placement is great and the like button includes likes from not just your blog post, but those who’ve liked it on Facebook as well.

It’s always your personal preference as to whether you want to continue with the plugins you are already using. However, I certainly like that fact that this plugin was developed and is being maintained by Facebook. And as often as Facebook changes things, it’s best that they are in control of their own plugin. No one knows the ends and outs of Facebook like their own developers.

Is it worth it to use the new Facebook plugin for WordPress?

For me the answer is YES! You don’t have to think about posting to Facebook each time, it happens for you. The only thing you have to remember is to include a message and/or status update so it’s not just the link that shows.

This is something you’ll have to decide for yourself. One thing is for sure when it comes to technology change is inevitable.

If you’d like some assistance in setting this up, please let us know by contacting us.

I’m curious, what do you think? Is it worth it to use the new Facebook plugin for WordPress? Please answer in the comments section below.

Email, Facebook, and Twitter: How Easily Can You Be Found Online?

tiffany — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 08:44:19 +0000

Here’s something interesting and something that may surprise you.

When I ask clients for their link and login information I get the userid and password. Often, the link to their website is not immediately provided even though the request is for link and login.

Here’s the funny part. I go searching for the website in several different places: Email, Facebook, and Twitter.

Email Signature

My first thought is that surely it’s in the email signature. However, too often it’s not. Your email signature is a great place to promote your website and social media links. It’s one of the first places people you have emailed will look to find you online.

If the information is not in the email signature, I check…

Facebook Personal Profile

I type in my client’s name and click on the link for ‘Works at’. Too often this link is no good. If ‘Works at’ says “Self Employed Entrepreneur”, “I work for my self”, or your company name, where does it take you when you click on it? If it looks anything like this:

It’s NOT good!

Here’s a great post by Mari Smith that shows you step-by-step how to link your Facebook Business Page to the work section on your personal Facebook profile. The #1 Mistake On Your Personal Facebook Profile

Twitter

The last place I’ll check is your Twitter account. However if your name is not on your Twitter account, I won’t be able to find you there either.

If your web person cannot locate you online, guess how many others can’t find you either. And more than likely they aren’t going to check these three channels.

To avoid this do the following checks:

Does your email signature include your current, actual web address? I’ve seen signatures that include the old web address name or a different one from the one we’re working on.

On Facebook does the ‘Works at’ click to your Facebook business page making it easy for people to find your website address? Don’t waste this useful spot, make the most of your online real estate.

Does your Twitter account include your full name or does it include your business name? If you’re wondering what name to use. Ask yourself, how many business names do you know compared to the actual names of the people who are associated to those businesses. More than likely their name comes to mind first over their business name.

You may be wondering why don’t I just email the client and get the link. Sure, I could do this also. However, it could take longer to get a response. It’s much easier to do a quick search and get it right away over the email, even though that is the last resort.

Have you made it easy for people to find you online or do you need to make some immediate changes to your email signature, Facebook personal profile, and Twitter?

What Do 1ShoppingCart and Home Depot Have In Common? PayPal

tiffany — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 08:49:08 +0000

What Do 1ShoppingCart and Home Depot Have In Common? PayPal

by Tiffany Johnson

I’ve been using PayPal for years now. In working with different clients I’ve seen some who are super eager to use it and others who are hesitant or just don’t want to deal with it at all.

In the last few months there have been a couple changes with PayPal that may change your tune if you’re not so keen on PayPal.

Ever been to a store called Home Depot?

The other day I had to run a quick errand for our dance ministry at church. We needed some tee caps to hold banners for our ministry presentation. I have the pleasure of being the runner and raced to Home Depot to get the caps. I cannot tell you the last time I was in Home Depot. It’s one of those stores I go in and take a deep breath, look up as high as the ceiling, and pray a salesperson with a servant’s heart is available to assist me. I need a response that’s more than “It’s on aisle 6″, I need to be walked right up to the thing-a-mu-jig I’m looking for on aisle 6.

Thankfully, a saleslady was available who did just that. Success!

When I got to checkout I noticed after I’d given the cashier my money that right before my eyes on the swipe machine screen was a button that said “Purchase With PayPal.” I was completely shocked so I asked the cashier “You can pay with PayPal?” She said yes and immediately the wheels in my head started turning.

How cool is that to be able to walk into your local Home Depot and use your PayPal account to make a purchase? It makes you wonder how many other stores will test out PayPal for purchases. I’d love to be able to go into Ann Taylor Loft or Staples and punch in my cell phone number and PayPal pin to make a purchase.

Here’s how it works:

*********

A while back I wrote a post Too Good To Be True: 1Shopping Cart and PayPal Collide. At that time we learned that recurring payments using PayPal as a merchant and 1ShoppingCart as the shopping cart system did not get along. 1ShoppingCart heard the shouts of the people because they have since updated and now you can setup products with recurring payments using PayPal as your merchant with 1ShoppingCart.

Woohoo! This is great news especially if you’re just getting started. Previously, if PayPal was your only merchant you had to apply for something like Authorize.net or use another shopping cart system for memberships like AMember.

This also meant that purchasers could only purchase using one method to cut down any confusion if you had a continuity or membership program.

Thank goodness those days are over and now you can use PayPal only or give your customers a choice of going through PayPal or a credit card only merchant.

Who Has Access To Your WordPress Site?

tiffany — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 08:44:42 +0000

Who Has Access To Your WordPress Site?

by Tiffany Johnson

Here’s a quick exercise. Log on to your WordPress Dashboard and click on Users. How many users do you have? How many different access levels are you using for those users?

If yours looks anything like mine did, you have either 1 user with full reign of the site or 2 or more users who also have full reign of the site.

After reading the article, Set Safe, Secure User Roles on Your WordPress Blog on Problogger.net, I modified some things on my own WordPress websites in regards to user roles and access levels. I’d been using administrator level for everything and created additional users at that same level for my team.

In the article, Karol K. refers to single user blogs and blogs with multiple contributors, however I thought it would be most helpful to translate that in terms of you, your virtual assistant, and your website manager.

There are three access levels that are important to you when it comes to your WordPress website and your virtual team.

~The Administrator
has full reign over everything on the site.

~The Editor
has full reign over the non-administrative things like modifying, adding, editing, publishing and deleting blog posts and pages.

however cannot update plugins, add plugins, update WordPress, update the WordPress theme, modify the look of the site, or change any of the code.

~The Contributor
can only set up blog posts and pages and put them into drafts for review. It’s important to note that they cannot upload images to the media library.

So how do you decide which levels will work best for your virtual team. Here’s a suggested breakdown:

Keep yourself as the administrator, but also, as Karol K. recommended in the article, create a second account for yourself at the Editor level. This way you are mainly logging in as the Editor. It’s not everyday that you’ll need to make major changes to your sites like updates or modifications to your sidebars.

Your website manager will need administrative access to your website in order to do everything an editor cannot do, such as updating plugins, WordPress, your theme, adding plugins, and modifying the look of your site, or change any of the code.

It’s a good idea to make your virtual assistant an editor or a contributor. If you want to review and publish pages and posts yourself, make your virtual assistant a contributor.

Regardless of which level you choose for your virtual assistant, make sure their nickname is listed as YOUR name. Why?

The author shows based on the nickname of the person who initially setup the page or blog posts.

Do you want your content showing as being authored by you or your virtual assistant?

If you need to make a correction, there’s an easy fix.

Here’s how to change the nickname of the user your virtual assistant uses:

From within the user profile you’ve setup for your virtual assistant, change the Nickname. Make sure it appears in the dropdown as well.

Okay, so back to the original questions:

How many users do you have?
How many different access levels are you using for those users?

Have your answers changed? How will you use this information?

If you’re all set and ready, please share this post with your friends. See below, ‘I made it SUPER easy!’

Change Doesn’t Wait For You It Comes Whether You Like It Or Not, Just Ask Facebook

tiffany — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 10:26:45 +0000

Change Doesn’t Wait For You It Comes Whether You Like It Or Not, Just Ask Facebook

by Tiffany Johnson

There have been many changes since the last email that went out to our list.

I was headed home from church a couple of Sundays ago and as I was driving along a driver pulled right out in front of me.

It took just a split second to go from being happy as a lark on a Sunday afternoon to being completely stunned and shocked and later minus a car.

Yep, the quick accident totaled my car. I haven’t had a car payment in years and was not even thinking about another car. However, there was no time to prepare for change, I just had to act fast.

Once your car is totaled they give you just a few days to make some major decisions. You have no time to ask a million questions before making tough decisions. In other words, you must trust yourself and go with it.

When Facebook announced on February 29th that the new Timeline design for pages was coming on March 30th for all pages, there was little choice but to spring into action and find out what this would mean for pages on Facebook.

I sent the following email to our list:

Hey,

Normally I don’t pop my head in on you on Wednesdays, but hey wanted to see if you’re aware that timelines are changing for Facebook pages on March 30th. It was just announced today. This means you have from now to then to make the switch, no choices after that.

The biggest change if you’re using a reveal page or welcome page, well it’s not going to show like you think with the Timeline. New visitors will be sent directly to your page content instead.

Additionally if you’re using the five static images at the top of your page, that’s going away too. You’ll now have a cover photo and there are some restrictions like no url, no selling, no encouraging folks to like the page. This has always been the case for personal profiles.

Also, people will be able to send you direct messages from your page. You know the message button you have on your personal profile, that will be on your business page with the new Timeline. Are you ready for that? If things pick up it may be a good time to outsource your social media client care.

Anywho wanted to give you a heads up so you’d have time to re-group and re-strategize, if need be, for what’s coming, better yet what’s here.

I’m here if you need any assistance in managing all of this. We’re opening a Social Media Content Management and Client Care Division. Our Facebook page is a work in progress and you’ll find various articles of interest regarding social media and most recently the Facebook timeline.

I’d love to connect and meet you there! Here’s the link, head on over www.facebook.com/tiffanyparsonbiz

Make it SUPER FABULOUS day!
Tiffany

At the time, my plan was to continue with two Facebook pages, however that has changed as well. It’s time for us to do and act, do and act, and in between ask questions. This isn’t the time to stand on the sidelines and watch everyone else and then jump in. We have to jump in right now while we still have some choices.

Some of you asked, well what about my ‘Welcome Page’ and what about my ‘Landing Page?’

The answer: The days of forcing visitors to go to a certain page and requiring them to like your page before going to your Facebook wall is over. Everyone whether they’ve been to your page before, liked your page or not will go straight to your wall and there’s nothing we can do about it. This is the part where change doesn’t wait for us to agree, it just happens and we’re forced to adjust.

Let me show you through pictures what this change will look like for your Facebook page:

See where the tabs are now:

When you switch to the Timeline design, this is where those tabs will go:

As you can see only four will be featured at the top without someone clicking on the arrow to see the rest. This means we’ve got to make some really good decisions as to what those major four will be. Fortunately we are able to change the name and the image that shows. Previously we were able to change the names, however some applications did not allow the icon to be changed.

With the elimination of the forced landing page for new visitors, we now must change the way we’ve been engaging on our Facebook page. This means our content must be interesting enough to make folks want to return again and again, just like with our websites.

How will you make your Facebook page something of interest that people will want to come to again and again?

This question is part of the reason we decided to consolidate the old and the new Facebook page. With the new Timeline, it’s going to take more intentional engagement than ever before and to do that on two different business pages on Facebook was making me a little crazy.

I found myself trying to decide should what I’m about to say go on the Virtual Hired Hand page or the Tiffany Johnson page for the social media division. I was really clear on the content I wanted for one page, but not so clear on the other. As a result of being clear on the purpose of the new page, I was having more fun with it.

Not only that, by having two business pages it would be difficult choosing which I would link to from my personal profile. If your business page is not linked from your personal profile, you’re missing a big opportunity to get traffic to your business page. People are curious about what you do, and will click the link to see.

Also, it’s not really clear as to whether Facebook is going to continue to allow multiple business pages, the best decision in order to stay sane was to go with the new business page. I also like that it has my name as opposed to the business name. More than likely people will be looking for me as opposed to my business name. So, we’ve started fresh with the new page.

I did find it interesting that some people asked why I was changing my page and if my business name was changing.

Have you ever tried to manage more than one business page on Facebook that belonged to you? It’s a challenge and more than likely one is more focused than the other and more successful as a result.

If you have not changed your business page to the new Timeline design, I challenge you today to start exploring the preview version of your page. This will give you an idea of where everything will go. You’ll need is a Timeline cover image and then start working on the four major applications that will show at the top of your page. We’ll be tweaking our page as we go along and will be sharing the results. If this is something you do not care to take on yourself we’re here to assist.

As more information transpires, we’ll be posting the information over on our new business page at www.facebook.com/tiffanyparsonbiz

If you’re all set and ready, please share this post with your friends. See below, ‘I made it SUPER easy!’

Hootsuite, Social Media, And Your Privacy

tiffany — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:47:39 +0000

Hootsuite, Social Media, And Your Privacy
by Tiffany Johnson

This post was inspired by one of my clients who asked how to get social media profiles setup in Hootsuite. Thanks Eve for asking;)

In the past two weeks, I’ve had several strategy sessions with clients and one common thing that comes up is social media. How to handle it when you want to keep your personal, personal and your professional, professional.

In all honesty it’s like trying to separate church and state. You cannot. Every where I go, the church goes. Why? Because I am the church, so if I’m a politician it’s going with me I cannot put it down and do civic business.

No matter what anyone says this is not going to happen unless it’s not in you to begin with. Enough political talk, back to business.

Ah yes! There’s no separating personal you from professional you. It doesn’t matter how you slice it, you’re still going to get a little personal, a little professional. This is the new normal for business and social media is spearheading this change.

I know it may be frightening considering what type of business or profession you’re in, however there’s a way to get you comfortable with all of this.

First things first, let’s get some tools in place to help you get started.

Hootsuite is my favorite because I can use it on my computer, from my phone, and from my iPad. Here’s a quick tutorial on setting up your social media profiles in Hootsuite:

How to add your social media profiles?

Click this icon for ‘Settings’

and then click ‘Social Networks’

From here select your social networks. You will be prompted to give Hootsuite Access to your account.

Click here to enlarge

Notice you can:

Add a feed
View your account settings
Change your preferences
Select a different theme
Synchronize your Avatars
Add another social network

When you’re ready to send your quick message, keep in mind the character limits for Twitter especially. Since you only have 140 characters, it’s a good idea to keep your post at 120 to allow others to retweet your post without it getting cut off.

If you are including links, always shorten them.

To shorten long URLs — Highlight your link and press the “Shrink” button. HootSuite’s own Ow.ly will then provide you with a shortened URL, which will appear in the Textarea box to the left of the “Shrink” button. You can then copy-paste it into your Tweet or post:

You’re now set to either send the update immediately or schedule it for a later time.

Let’s now address some of the concerns I’ve heard in the last year or so:

I just don’t want to
It takes up too much time
My target audience is not on (fill in the blank)
I only want people to find my page and not my personal profile

This list could go on and on…

Let me ask you this: If the President of the United States, who has the most important job and way more people he’s responsible for than we ever could imagine is on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, YouTube, etc., why shouldn’t we?

I’m not for convincing people to do things, I prefer posing questions to make you think. If anyone doesn’t have time for all of this it would definitely be President Obama.

Now, before you tell me he has aids and lots of help with all of this, there’s nothing stopping you from having your own virtual dream team working behind the scenes for you.

There are few people who are not on social media. Even people who don’t have computers or internet access at home are using social media. When I hear “my audience isn’t on XYZ” I cringe. Do you know the population of folks on social media?

Over 800 million active Facebook users
250 million tweets per day on Twitter
100 million LinkedIn users
158 million hits per month on YouTube
10 million Pinterest users
Estimated at 85.2 million Google+ users

Source: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest – The Who’s Who Of Social Media [INFOGRAPHIC]
Google Plus ‘will have more than 400m users by the end of 2012′ – will it overtake Facebook?

Must I go on?

If your peeps aren’t a part of the millions, okay then maybe you’ve got a very unique and special group. However to be on the safe side it’s best to be EVERYWHERE they are and most likely it’s not just one location.

The LinkedIn folks are on Facebook, Twitter and the rest and so should you.

I understand privacy is a big factor, but it confuses me. Here’s the thing, you have control over what you put out there. I won’t know what kind of dining room set you have at home if you don’t post pics of it online.

I won’t know your cousin Sally unless you mention your cousin Sally online. And if you did post these things, I’ve got lots of others things to do besides track down your cousin Sally and see what she’s up to. I’m sure your audience feels the same way as we are handling our own social media activity.

As much as people are into what other people are doing, most aren’t going on a bunny trail to see what you and all of your friends are up to each moment of the day. And if there is that random person who is, how about blocking them from your social media activity. You do have control over that stuff you know.

Here’s how to hide the owners of your page on Facebook if you don’t want people to try and friend you, although I don’t recommend it. However, I do get asked.

From your Facebook page, click ‘Edit Page’ in the top right corner.

Click on ‘Featured’

Click here to enlarge

Click on ‘Edit Featured Page Owners’

And if you’re still unsure as to whether you should be active on social media watch this:

If you’re all set and ready, please share this post with your friends. See below, ‘I made it SUPER easy!’

Top Image Source: unplggd.com via Marlena on Pinterest

How Content Creation Sparked My “Pinterest”

tiffany — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:44:48 +0000

How Content Creation Sparked My “Pinterest”

by Tiffany Johnson

When I started taking online projects I quickly discovered that any time I was asked about a new software or tool it was immediately after I’d learned how to use it or heard of it. It happened with 1ShoppingCart, AWeber, OptimizePress, Nanacast, Instant Teleseminar, and the list goes on and on. I was amazed and clearly God had his hand in my business.

It even happened when I learned of WordPress. As soon as I heard of WordPress a week later I’d get a client who wanted me to maintain her WordPress blog and get this, she had Thesis. And Thesis would later play a significant role in my business. Wow, talk about divine intervention. Fast forward almost 4 years and this is still going on to this day.

Last October my good friend from college told me about Pinterest and how I should get on it and check it out. I blew it off because I had lots more important things to do than “pin” shoes and clothes, so I thought. When I got back home from my visit, I completely forgot our discussion about Pinterest and went on my merry way. Until…

I got an email from her, two of them as a matter of fact, a few weeks ago inviting me to…Pinterest. I blew it off again and tagged it in green as a ‘Personal’ email, yeah, I color code and star things in my Inbox and move them to special folders.

Well, last week I spoke with a client about optimizing her website and how well she’s doing on social media since we discussed it two years ago. She started with 63 fans or something like that and now has almost 9000 and counting. She was concerned no one would want to hear about regular everyday things. I’m so proud of it’s taken off. You can check it out here: MilitaryHandBag.com

In that conversation, guess what she mentioned?

Pinterest…

And of course I’d heard about it casually months before and there were not one, but two invites sitting in my ‘Personal’ folder waiting for me to respond. Needless to say I have since signed up and am learning what it is and how it can be beneficial for someone like me who provides a service. For her I could immediately see how it would be helpful since she sells actual products like handbags and such, but me, a WordPress, website, techie? Not so sure.

Until…

Yesterday. I recently read a great way to get your content out there, 10 Quick and Easy Content Ideas for Solopreneurs Short on Time and how to be creative with your blog posts and social media. One option I immediately gravitated to was “Wordless Wednesdays.” This is where you post inspiration images on social media. Fun stuff, only I had no idea where people were getting those fun images. A Google search was needed and I wasn’t really satisfied with what I was finding so I gave it a rest. In the meantime, I went to Facebook like I do everyday, it’s a must for business:) Well low and behold I saw another one of those inspirational images and this one had a link too….

Pinterest!

What?! God are you serious? Oh yeah:)

Keep in mind just the day before I’d signed up for Pinterest and was clueless what to add, who to follow, and where to click. This was perfect. I immediately clicked on the link and got excited. I found the inspirational images, sweet! Okay, so now what. At this point I completely forgot about “Wordless Wednesday,” but definitely have plans to get back to it. I browsed a bit more, but got frustrated with the lack of instruction. If you haven’t noticed I like steps and if there aren’t any steps in an orderly fashion, I’ll create one. I went on about my business after all I did have some work to do.

Later and back on Facebook, guess what? Someone posted a link about…none other than…

Pinterest! It was a link to a beginners guide. Woohoo! I was excited and of course thanked God for dropping more info right in my lap. I read the article which was great and you can check it out here –> Pinterest: A Beginner’s Guide to the Hot New Social Network.

This spurred more searching on Google and I found another great article on how to get it in your tool bar and how you can use it for eCommerce which can be found here –> How to Use Pinterest for Your Ecommerce Business.

This brings me to point of this entire blog post. If you’ve been wondering what’s all of the noise about regarding Pinterest and how you can use it in your business you’ll want to check the articles linked in this post.

Things to notice:

How you can feature images relative to your blog, write a summary and link it to your blog or specific post
You can pin YouTube videos which is a perfect way from people to find you in additional to all of the other ways you’re optimizing your information
You can also find great images to use on your blog post, with credits of course, just like the one in this post.

I’m very excited about this new way of sharing information. There’s always something new to learn, it’s how we embrace it that counts.

You can find me on Pinterest here –> here.

If you need an invite, provide me with your email. I’d love to hear how you’re using Pinterest for your business, you know where to share:).

Top Image Source: rockcandy56.blogspot.com via Tiffany on Pinterest

How To Understand What’s Going On With Your Website Using Google Analytics

tiffany — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:44:48 +0000

How To Understand What’s Going On With Your Website Using Google Analytics

by Tiffany Johnson

The following are two important plugins to track your web traffic. If you are not currently tracking your website traffic, it’s time to start tracking it.

Google Analytics for WordPress
Google Analytics Dashboard

The most important of the two plugins is the first one, Google Analytics for WordPress

Google Analytics is a free and very powerful program that allows you to analyze various aspects of your website traffic.

The plugin inserts a special code into your website in order for your traffic to start tracking.

If you are using the second plugin, Google Analytics Dashboard, you can view your stats update on a daily basis from within your WordPress Dashboard.

For a more detailed and specific date ranges you’ll want to head to the Google Analytics website and login to your account.

In fact, go ahead and open another tab in your web browser and let’s step through the Google Analytics dashboard together.

Click here to enlarge.

Notice I’m using the beta version of Google Analytics for the purpose of this post. I also think this update gives the information a cleaner look and that could be because I’m getting used to the updates in Gmail and Google+. Everything is streamlined.

Click here to enlarge.

I’m sharing my exact data with you for two reasons:

1. So you an see real results from a blog site that has recently discovered it’s identity.

2. For selfish reasons – because 6 months from now I’ll have a snapshot of what my traffic used to look like. I’m expecting much higher numbers in the future. This is kind of like revealing my monthly income only it’s the vitals of my website. Also, makes me feel kind of vulnerable. It’s good to step outside of your comfort zone, so here we go!

Do you have your second tab open in your browser and are you logged in to your Google Analytics account?

Excellent!

This tutorial will cover the Daily Visits area listed on the dashboard because this is where it can get confusing with the terms.

First set the date range you’d like to review.

Click the dropdown by the date and select your range from there.

Understanding the Daily Visits Overview

Click in the top right corner to get the Standard Reporting for your daily visits.

This EKG looking chart shows the overview based on your date range of the number of unique visitors that have come to your website.

Very much like an EKG chart, you want it to go up and down, not up, up, up or completely flat-lined. If you were having test done at the doctor’s office and it showed a straight line across, what would that mean? Exactly no pulse, you’re gone, translation –> no traffic to your website.

If it were up, up, up, there’s a major problem health wise, translation –> it’s completely unrealistic for visitors to continuing increasing without a tiny dip. This chart is nice and healthy when it’s going up and down. There will be days where you have spikes like when you post your blog, run a promotion, or send out an email blast. and there will be dips, maybe during the holidays for some or on the weekends for others. The dips will vary based on the nature of your website niche.

Click here to enlarge.

Let’s define some of the terminology in the image above:

Visits: The number of times a visitor has been to your site in a 30 minute period (called a “session”). If a user is inactive for 30 minutes or more, if they have more activity later, it will be counted as a new session. If a visitor leaves your site and comes back within 30 minutes, it is counted as the same session.

Unique Visitors: The number of first time visitors to your website over the course of a specified time period.

Pageviews: The number of pages that has been viewed on your site.

Pages/Visit: The number of pages viewed, on average, per visit.

Avg. Time on Site: This is the average time a visitor spends on your site. It is shown in hours:minutes:seconds.

Bounce Rate: The percentage of visits that viewed only a single page on your site. A “bounce” is a visitor who comes to your page and then leaves without viewing any other pages.

% of New Visits: This is the percentage of all visitors in the report period that visited your site for the first time.

If you click on the chart to the left of the term the overview chart will be specific to that term. For example, if you click on the chart beside ‘Pageviews’ it will provide a chart so you can see the number of pages view based on the date range you selected.

Looking at the data for our website, we’ve got a high bounce rate (below 50% is ideal and below 40% is even better), however the average time someone spends on the site is 4 mins and 13 secs. Not bad considering the blog is the homepage. This means people are actual reading the information and not going to the site for a quick minute and then leaving.

Now that you’ve looked at your own results, what will be your next steps to improve your stats? It may be consistency, content change on your blog, or keep doing what you’re doing. Please share below.

How To Track Performance Using AWeber And Pretty Links

tiffany — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:44:59 +0000

How To Track Performance Using AWeber And Pretty Links

by Tiffany Johnson

Scenario A: You are planning your list building strategy and have decided to put an opt-in form on your Facebook page. This will be the first thing a new visitor sees the first time they come to the page.

Also, you are changing the opt-in form on your website with your new free offer. You are curious to see which web form will get the most views and opt-ins.

How do you plan to keep track of how your web forms are doing?

Tracking results in AWeber

AWeber is my number one recommended email marketing service. It’s how I send out my newsletters and autoresponders each week.

The form on my website in the right sidebar at the top is an AWeber web form. I know how many times it’s been shown on my website as well as how many times someone has submitted their information.

The big question is whether or not the form is performing as expected. The expectation of course is for people to be interested and get our free report by entering their name and email address. This is exactly what you want on your own website.

1. Give each web form a name other than “web form.”

Click here to enlarge

When creating a new web form include the location of the form as part of the name. For example, if you have a web form in your side bar on your homepage, in AWeber name it something like Side Bar Form On Homepage. If you have another form on a particular sales page or Facebook, include that as part of the name.

This way you know which form the information is referring to, where it’s located and whether it’s actually getting results. If you currently have several web forms already setup, it’s not too late to give them names that help you identify where they are located.

2. Check submissions.

After your web form has been live for a while check your ‘Submissions’ in AWeber. This number lets you know whether people have responded to your web form. It’s not an exact number of who’s on your list, however if the form has 0 and it’s been displayed 2292 times, you’ll know what you’re saying on the web form or promotion page is not working.

Click here to enlarge

I know that more people sign-up for my free report from the sidebar than Facebook, or the lightbox plug-in I previously used called PopUp Domination. In fact, more sign-up after reading a blog post and than reading the actual page that provides details about the free report. This is the type information you need to help continue to build your email list and plan your email marketing strategy.

The tracking information will not tell you why the form is not working, however you’ll at least know where to look on your website or elsewhere to make necessary revisions.

Tracking promotion pages using Pretty Links

Scenario B: You are planning your list building strategy and have decided to start advertising on different blogs. You’ve created a promotion page they’ll be sent to when they click on your banner ad. You plan to advertise on two different blogs to gauge which website will drive the most traffic to your site and the most email sign-ups.

How do you plan to keep track of how well your banner ads are doing if the banners on each website are pointing to the same page?

Prior to learning about the Pretty Links plugin, I would copy and paste the content from a promotion page and create different pages based on how I was marketing the page. For example, if you were advertising on a website and you wanted to point people to a certain page you’d provide a link to that particular site.

Let’s say you placed an ad on a mommy blog and wanted to point them to your website. Instead of providing them with yourdomain.com, you’d provide them with yourdomain.com/mommyblogsite. Where “mommyblogsite” would be the name or an abbreviation of the website you were advertising on. You’d definitely want it to be something that you would remember for tracking purposes.

You’ll definitely want to see this in action, but for now here’s the pic:

Click here to enlarge

It’s very important to include a description so you’ll know one pretty link from the next, especially if you’re creating multiple pretty links to the same target link.

I remember last year when I ran a Memorial day promotion and had some people interested in promoting it, I created a separate page for each person. No more!

Thanks to Pretty Links, I can create as many additional links as I want without setting up a new page.

If you haven’t been tracking your web forms or you’ve been taking the long route with tracking your promotional pages like I did, it’s definitely time to check out some simpler options.

Now it’s your turn! Are you tracking performance on your web forms and promotional pages? Please share in the comments below.

How To Add Fonts To The Standard WordPress Editor

tiffany — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:12:36 +0000

How To Add Fonts To The Standard WordPress Editor

by Tiffany Johnson

Not sure if you have ever noticed, but the WP Editor does not allow you to select a font for your blog post.

Click here to enlarge.

Instead it defaults to whatever you have selected as your default font for your website.

Our website uses the theme Thesis and currently has the default font for content set to Verdana.

Up until this point we accepted that the WordPress standard editor doesn’t allow you to choose a font and haven’t questioned it. Sure, there are workarounds and things that can be done coding wise, however it hasn’t been important enough to get that involved. Of course if a client ever requested it, we would make it happen.

This morning I decided to checkout a new plugin because it allows you to pull in fonts that are stored on Google’s server.

Plugin —> Supreme Google Webfonts

Before this if you wanted a nonstandard font on your website you had to purchase the font files or download free fonts and store them on your own web server.

This works great, however with this plugin it’s even better. Oh the beauty of having a WordPress website.

After activating the plugin and heading over to the add a new post, I discovered an added benefit. Now, there is a dropdown that allows you to not only select nonstandard fonts, but also more familiar fonts such as Arial, Arial Standard, and Helvetica.

Click here to enlarge.

In fact, all of the familiar fonts are there along with some additional fun fonts. If you never use a nonstandard font like this, you can at least benefit from being able to select the font you want for your pages and posts.

Now, I don’t recommend you go font crazy and have a ton of different fonts…

a ton of different fonts

a ton of different fonts

a ton of different fonts

on your page or post, but it is nice to know what’s available.

Please note this plugin my slow down the load of your site slightly, although I haven’t seen that to be the case so far. Take it for a drive yourself and let me know how it turns out.

Had you previously realized you could not select a font in the standard WordPress editor? How have you been getting around this issue? Please share below.

Don’t Get Spanked By Google: Why We’re Deleting The Facebook Comments Plugin

tiffany — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:16:10 +0000

What’s a good idea today, may not be a good idea tomorrow. At the end of January last year, I wrote a blog post about using Facebook comments.

Since that time things have changed significantly in regards to how Google looks at these comments. Previously the Facebook comments were not being indexed by Google without special coding by a programmer. However, since November of last year things have changed. Google is now indexing Facebook comments which is good and bad.

This means valuable comments will help add value to your ranking in the eyes of Google. However the flip side is everyone online is not for the good and looking to spam your site in the comments. If someone puts a spam comment on your site using Facebook comments Google sees it.

The result is your website gets spanked for allowing spam which is a bad thing when it comes to your ranking with Google. Facebook comments are an open door to allowing any and everyone to comment on your blog post. Up until this point I nor my clients have had an issue. However who needs additional risk when it’s unnecessary.

The regular blog posts comments are indexed by Google and so you still get the benefits of value added commenting on your blog from the search engines. The difference is in the moderation.

For every new person that comes to your website and comments you want your settings to be where you say yay or nay as to whether their comments get seen on your blog.

You do this under ‘Settings’ within your WordPress dashboard. It’s much easier with a picture, please see below.

Click here to enlarge.

Now, you are in control of who can be visible on your website. Once you have approved a first time commenter they are free to comment without your permission. If you’re responding regularly to comments or at least reading them you should see what comes through.

There are times when real comments get caught in the Spam folder so be on the lookout for that.

Also make sure you are using the Akismet plugin on your site whether it’s for your personal or business use. This plugin is an absolute must, otherwise you’ll find yourself deleting thousands of spam comments a day. It comes standard with every WordPress installation.

If you have any questions regarding this issue please share in the regular WordPress comments below;)

How To Create A Blog Posting Plan Based On What Your Audience Already Likes And Responds To

tiffany — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 09:44:02 +0000

How To Create A Blog Posting Plan Based On What Your Audience Already Likes And Responds To

by Tiffany Johnson

By now you’ve seen different blogs showing their goals from last year with updates on whether or not those goals were met. It’s good to look back and see how far you’ve come and where you need to go moving forward.

If you’ve been writing blog post up to this point, it’s a good time to evaluate what content worked best for your audience. Each week you publish a new post they are able to vote yay or nay on your topic. And it may not even be the topic they like but the headline that gets them to stop and take a second look. One thing for sure I plan to focus more on headlines that are specific, to the point, and clear. I do have tendency to use catchy instead of things that always make sense. I don’t plan to redo old headlines, but will make revisions to them for posting on social media.

How Does Your Audience Place Their Vote?

Your audience votes by liking, tweeting, commenting, and sharing your blog posts. Clicking “like” at the top of your post is like them giving you a High-5 or saying “alright now!” as a way to show they agree with what you’re saying. It’s rare, if ever, you click “like” for something that you “kinda” agree with.

As you are planning your blog posts for this quarter (I like breaking things up in quarters, makes it easier to digest), see what topics got the most votes.

Identify topics that your audience engaged you the most.

From within your WordPress dashboard, look at all of your posts. In the top menu, click on the icon for Comments so that you are viewing the posts with the most to least commented.

What topics were commented on the most?

What topics were commented on the least?

Is there a common theme?

For example, with our website I considered the blog posts with comments in the double digits to be the higher rankings posts. Of course this will vary based on how long you have been blogging and the size of your audience.

I copied all of the headlines that were in this group so I could go back and evaluate the subjects. Choose the option that works best for you. You may want to copy and paste the titles, grab a screenshot of them, or take note of the topics as you are going through the list of most commented posts.

For the blog posts that didn’t get a large number of comments, it doesn’t mean the information was bad, it good just be the headline or your reach was too small. Don’t give up on the topic instead expound on it more as an update and see how that goes.

Do the same thing for Facebook and Twitter, see which got the most likes and ReTweets. If you’re getting a lot of votes on everything you do, then you’re definitely giving the people what they want. Keep doing it and take it up a notch. Plan your topics in advance. Mix up your media by using audio, video, and text.

I hear video is in, however is anything ever really out. There are days you feel like reading, days you feel like watching, and days you’d just rather someone tell you. You never know when that day will be and for whom. Mix it up and at the end of the quarter you can check to see which was most popular with your audience.

Give More Of What Your Audience Wants In Your Blog Posts

I read an inspiring post about a mom and meal planning. It surprised me how much I enjoyed it because I’m not a mom and I don’t meal plan. However I could easily see how it translates to planning blog post.

If you choose meals based on type like Meatless, Seafood, Pork, Beef, Chicken, you can do the same for blog post. Plan your blog posts topics as if you were planning a meal. Decide which day or week you’ll address a certain topic. Repeat until you know which topics you’ll discuss for the next three months. Now you’ve got a plan. Write it on your calendar or checkout the Editorial Calendar plug-in.

Leave Room For Flexibility and Spontaneity

Of course you should plan for the unexpected so when inspiration strikes you’re not waiting until second quarter to publish the information. Let your editorial calendar be there for the times when you need something to draw from. I do suspect that once you known the specific topics you’ll write on you’ll find inspiration everywhere you go.

Now it’s your turn. How do you plan your blog posts? Is it spontaneous or already mapped out?

How Do You Know If You Are Effective On Social Media?

tiffany — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 13:09:12 +0000

Yesterday, I tweeted a retro blog post titled Why Use Social Media? Someone responded with: How do you effectively use it?

This question struck a huge cord with me because it made me think about what does it mean to be effective. Does it mean someone responds to my tweet or comments on my Facebook status? Does it mean I get a client as a result? How can effectiveness be measured if I’m unclear as to what being effective is?

How would you have answered this question?

Effective according to dictionary.com means:

adequate to accomplish a purpose; producing the intended or expected result.
actually in operation or in force; functioning.
producing a deep or vivid impression; striking.
prepared and available for service, especially military service.

We’ll go with definition number one since it is the most in line with the previous questions.

What’s the purpose of using social media?

Is it to build relationships, meet people you’d never have the opportunity to meet, increase followers, pick up guys or girls, get new clients?

People are on social media for all kinds of reasons, however what is your reason. My hope is that it’s to build relationships. With that being said are you effectively building relationships? How do you know? Is it measurable? How so?

Can we really base how well we’re building relationships based on the number of followers we get each day? Or is it better to base it on the number of retweets, favorited tweets, or replies back as a result of something that we have tweeted. Is it the number of frequent followers we’ve been linked to?

In order to determine how effective your social media efforts are, you must determine the purpose for being their in the first place. If you don’t know why you’re using social media, before you send another status update or tweet understand the purpose for being there.

If it’s to learn a new recipe, then clearly you can just do a Google search for that. If it is for building relationships, meeting new people, making contact with others who are like minded then seek those who have what you are looking for. Unfollow the folks who are not providing something that will contribute to the effectiveness of your social media activity. And I’m not talking about deleting people who share their breakfast or workout regiment. We all are human right and certainly enjoy hearing that other people are living life just as we are. However if someone is really obnoxious to others or provides no value whatsoever, it really is okay to disconnect all forms of contact.

Keep the reason that you are using social media on the forefront of your mind as you go throughout your day. Not only will this help you become more effective it will also make you more fun and enjoyable to hangout with via the web.

Please share below. Why do you use social media?

From My House To Yours, Merry Christmas!

tiffany — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 13:33:27 +0000

I’m wishing you a very merry and wonderful Christmas! Thanks to social media I’ve learned of a birth, adoptions, and a wonderful story about giving to a young girl in need. This truly is the most wonderful time of the year!

Merry Christmas from my house to yours!

Make it SUPER FABULOUS!

Much love,
Tiffany

“E” Is For Enthusiasm And It Shows!

tiffany — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:17:45 +0000

Editor’s Note:

I watched The Santa Claus movie last night and got bit by the Christmas bug. Well actually it happened before that so I was able to sit and enjoy the movie without thinking “bahumbug.” This post is inspired by some very special guests. They’ve been waiting for the perfect opportunity all year to spread their good cheer to all of the online business owners we serve. And since I’m learning to delegate when I need to, I gave them carte blanche to do their thing in today’s post.

Much love,
Tiffany

Don’t take life too seriously. You’ll never get out of it alive. — Elbert Hubbard

“E” Is For Enthusiasm And It Shows!

inspired by S.C Elves:)

Take a six-foot tall adopted elf named Buddy (played by Will Ferrell) who wants to find his birth father, make that father the prickly James Caan, and throw them together in the midst of New York City and see what happens. Buddy wants a warm and cuddly family reunion; his father Walter wants nothing more than to make this new found son disappear, preferably with a pair of cement boots on him.

Ah, but this is Christmas, so not only does Buddy convince his new family that syrup tastes good on everything; he also wins the heart of his stepmother, half-brother, and the cynical Jovie, his new love. And yes, Walter eventually sees the light.

So business owners, here’s your business lesson from Buddy the Elf: “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.”

So… what if you’re not Santa? Buddy would tell you it doesn’t matter. Enthusiasm is catching. No one is going to be more excited about your business, your product, your podcast, your class, your blog than you are.

Sometimes we feel a little hesitant to show our enthusiasm. It can be risky to show how much we care about something. But if we don’t show our passion, we’re not going to convince anyone else to follow or act on our recommendations.

Think about the last time you went out to eat. If the waiter or waitress gave a lackluster endorsement to the daily special, you likely took a pass. But if she or he said, “I just tried it before my shift and it was delicious!” you’d be a little more likely to partake. Enthusiasm sells. Period.

Here are a few tips to make like Buddy the Elf without sounding like a used car salesman (or an escapee from the North Pole):

Be honest. Don’t sell or promote something you don’t believe in. It never works – people can tell, and you’ll damage your reputation.

Be yourself. You may be the understated type who isn’t going to jump out of a helicopter a la Richard Branson to promote your latest business venture. You don’t have to be! (One Richard Branson is enough for this world.) But do show your energy in a way that is natural for you.

Be realistic. If you promote every new thing that comes down the block, or have a new solution du jour, pretty soon no one is going to listen to you.

You don’t have to dress up in pointy shoes to get people to buy your new e-course. But hey… if the shoe fits… why not?

3 Tips Before You Close Up Shop For The Holiday

tiffany — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 09:44:23 +0000

3 Tips Before You Close Up Shop For The Holiday

by Tiffany Johnson

Let me just say it’s so important to be mentored and coached by someone that’s been where you are, got through, and is successful on the other side. it’s like having a friend who’s in the VIP club that can give you private access without all the red tape.

Before the year is over I’ve got two books to finish, Read Their Mind and Flip The SWITCH, as well as plan the remaining newsletters for this year. There’s so much we need to go over, however at the same time I don’t want to overwhelm anyone. Instead I’ll have a survey, a quick one for you to complete following the open house. Let me know what tools you’re using, would like to learn more about, or would love for someone to take the reigns and do it for you. Until then, let’s talk about finishing 2011 strong and planning the first two weeks in January.

Is it unrealistic for your blog to auto update itself while you’re enjoying the holidays?

What about those FB and Twitter updates? I would say Linkedin, but it’s for job searching and networking so I’m not sure if folks will be around to read what you have to say. And Google+ well, I’m sure folks will be there eventually.

It’s time to put yourself on autopilot or cruise control. Either way you can still check-in as needed to ensure everything is working as expected.

If you’ve got a smartphone at your side you don’t even have to log on to your computer unless you just want to. No pressure, it’s the holiday season for goodness sake.

Take some time now before the final gift is wrapped to do the following:

I.

Map out your blog posts topics. It may be a good time to do list blogs since that usually makes writing a bit easier. You’re able to create your headline and main point all in one thought.

5 Ways to…
3 Tips on…
How to …in 3 Easy Steps

You get the idea. In fact, it may be good to install the editorial plugin and actually use it. I’m talking to me too:)

II.

Schedule social media or at least pre-plan your post. If you think scheduling your social media statuses is a dirty thing to do to your audience, definitely pre-plan them. And note, it’s only dirty if you never show up. And by the way tell your friends Hootsuite doesn’t mean scheduled status. It means smart savvy business owner who could be on her smartphone updating several places at once. So there… Aren’t you something?

If possible plan into the second week of January for both your blogs and social media. More than likely when you get back you’ll be a little jet lagged, need to regain your sea legs, or just wishing for an endless holiday, so it may take time to get back to normal. And for sure it will take some time to respond to all of the emails. By planning into the second week in January, you’ve already got something to celebrate and can return with a big grin because you’ll be two weeks ahead when the New Year rolls in.

III.

Leave off the email autoresponder. Well, I don’t want to tell you what to do, but everyone and their momma knows it’s a holiday week. If not, shame on them because if it were not for the Lord Jesus Christ being born in the first place we would not be here. At least not living the lives we’re living with the opportunity to be free from sin and all of that stuff. Think twice about email autoresponders. You don’t want to drive people crazy especially if they’re emailing so they don’t forget something while they’re away for the holiday.

Take the pressure off and get help if you need to. The biggest thing is to plan now and not do what you did last year. Remember?

Now off we all go before the clock strikes ….

Oh, before you go, please share in the comments below some of your year end tips for online business owners.

5 Benefits of Teleclasses and How To Decide What To Charge

tiffany — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 22:42:55 +0000

5 Benefits of Teleclasses and How To Decide What To Charge

by Tiffany Johnson

Forget setting a New Year’s resolution. It’s time for some NOW resolutions. You know the things that have been waiting on the sidelines.

Stuff that can only be accomplished in the perfect setting, with the exact equipment, and on the vary day that Christ was born.

I just finished listening to a podcast about…podcasting and the guy is an audio snob just like I’m a WordPress snob. He was talking about the exact equipment to use and why.

Of course it all makes sense and yes the sound quality is going to be a million times better. However, if you don’t have the equipment right now today, it shouldn’t stop you. I mean if you wanted to do podcasting.

Okay, forget the whole podcasting thing. What I’m saying is that I know since you got here you’ve been wanting to do a teleclass. I’m curious to know if you’ve done it.

If not, have you tested the waters using Blog Talk Radio. You know this post Blog Talk Radio and Your Next Teleclass is the reason I started my Blog Talk Radio in the first place. I had to demonstrate how it was done. And then I kept doing it over and over again working and tweaking it each week until I felt comfortable with how I sound.

I’ve come to grips with the fact that the voice I hear in my head is completely different from what’s being recorded. I consider it a virtual version of me so I don’t get to caught up in criticizing my pronunciation of things or when my accent gets a little “extra.”

If I did, you wouldn’t ever hear my voice which is crazy because eventually I’ve got to say something.

Back to your teleclass…

Did you know once it’s done the recording is forever which can be turned into a product?

You could easily unload your entire calendar if you’ve been tied to 1-on-1 coaching all year.

You’ve probably got a lot of good information, but no one knows because it’s all stuck in your head. Do you feel heavy or overloaded because it’s just too much and if you read another thing you might explode?

Time to do a fun and wild thing, like making yourself available 24/7 via a recorded audio.

For those who have already experience Teleclass they’re wondering why they didn’t get started sooner. As a matter of fact they’ve been able to create eBooks, audio training, and workbooks all from one recording.

You can also:

Create products. The calls themselves can be turned into products or classes.
Build your list. Teleclasses are popular ways to introduce yourself to a new market.
Sell more. By presenting a sales presentation over the phone, you offer much more interactivity and a stronger personal connection than you can through a website or direct mail piece.
Get to know your audience. Being able to interact with your audience in real time allows an unprecedented level of market research, right in the moment.
Create trust. Trust is crucial when you want to do business online. And one of the best ways to build trust with your audience is to interact with them directly. As they hear your voice live on the call — and as they ask questions and get answers right then and there — you become “real” to them and they’ll be able to bond with you. This is something that’s much harder to accomplish through sales letters and emails.

Have you considered whether your event will be paid or free? It really depends on your goals.

Why are you hosting a Teleclass?

- To promote a product or service.

- To build your audience.

Advantages of a free Teleclass:

You’ll get more registrations. Teleclasses are popular ways to introduce yourself to a new market. It’s easy to invite people to your free events — and as they sign up, they become part of your list.
It’s easier to implement. You won’t have to worry about processing payments or integrating a shopping cart with your sales page or email service.

Disadvantages of a free Teleclass:

They’re free, you won’t make any immediate money.
Sometimes, something offered for free is perceived as having a lower value than something that comes with a price tag.

Advantages of a paid Teleclass:

You’ll make money with each additional person who signs up to attend.
Your Teleclass might be perceived as more valuable if people must pay to gain access.

Disadvantages of a paid Teleclass:

The more you charge, the fewer attendees you are likely to have.
Implementation is more complicated, as you’ll have to set up a way to take and process payments.

If you’re just starting out, you may want to go with a free Teleclass. That way, you can work out the kinks, figure out the technology, and
focus on learning the ropes without the additional stress of dozens of people expecting a top-notch, glitch-free experience.
And, of course, you can focus on the Teleclass and won’t have to worry about how to set up your shoppingcart.
Then, once you’ve figured out how everything works, you can start charging for your Teleclasses.

If your main goal is revenue generation, you could charge a fee for participating in your call or better yet do both.

Offer free participation in the initial call, and then charge for access to the recording and/or a transcript of the call.
This way, you maximize the number of people added to your list and you gain revenue in the process.

Only you can know what will work best for your situation and your business. Take a look at the pluses and minuses of a free Teleclass versus a paid one, and choose the one that feels right for you.

Now it’s your turn. Are there any advantages or disadvantages that you see in hosting a free or paid Teleclass?

Too Good To Be True: 1Shopping Cart and PayPal Collide

tiffany — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:38:39 +0000

Too Good To Be True: 1Shopping Cart and PayPal Collide

by Tiffany Johnson

This is one of those post where I’m going to put my techie hat on and translate my findings. I’m the first to admit there’s no way you can know everything until it’s time to know it.

Well today’s the day we find out why the heck members aren’t being invoice on a recurring basis.

We’ve got 1ShoppingCart setup, PayPal is in motion, and our recurring product for membership is ready to go. The members are showing up in the recurring list and we can see the dates they’ll be notified of an automatic payment.

So why isn’t it working?

This issue came up last week with a client. After checking the entire setup and verifying all of the pieces were in place, there was no obvious reason for it not to work. And many tests had been done on the client’s side and ours.

Argh!

It was time to pick up the phone and speak to 1ShoppingCart. They charged us $10 for the call so I was going to make the most of it.

Turns out 1ShoppingCart and PayPal play really nice when a product is purchased one time. However a membership requires ongoing payments.

That’s where the disconnect occurs. Imagine 1ShoppingCart with its back turned and PayPal with its back turned, neither communicating at the 30 day mark.

1ShoppingCart says “we did our part. Our system is updated with the information”. PayPal says “I don’t know what your talking about. No one told me.”

And here we sit in the middle completely oblivious until at the 30 day mark nothing is processed.

Here’s what happens:

When your customer purchases from your website they are taken to the 1ShoppingCart page you’ve customized to checkout. If you take PayPal only payments, which is very convenient for most customers by the way, they’ll immediately receive an email from 1ShoppingCart with a link to download their purchase if it was something digital like an EBook or MP3.

However if you have a membership program the first payment is received, but any recurring payments will not be initiated.

Why is that? Because for some strange reason PayPal and 1ShoppingCart are not playing nice.

You can setup products with recurring charges in 1ShoppingCart. However if your merchant is PayPal it will not process after the initial payment. In fact, 1ShoppingCart will not even given you a warning to let you know once you’ve created a recurring product. Instead your recurring members will show on a list with the next payment due date, but nothing triggering the payment.

It’s important to note: you can setup recurring payments for your products in PayPal by creating a button. However, you’ll want to think about how you’ll handle the delivery of the digital products as well as any other communication following purchase. Hence the need for a shopping cart or email marketing system like AWeber.

After researching online about this issue it appears the only solution, if you’re going to stick with 1ShoppingCart, is to have a merchant account outside of PayPal. Many clients use Authorize.net and I used it for a minute and then went back to PayPal. I don’t have a recommendation when it comes to merchant accounts except do your research, understand the fee structure, and go from there.

The other option is to find a shopping cart system that will process recurring payments with PayPal. Have this question answered first if you plan to have a membership type program and use PayPal as your merchant. We’re currently testing AMember. I’ll keep you posted on our results.

The big takeaway here, forget using PayPal with 1ShoppingCart if you plan to use it with a membership program. And there isn’t a way to select PayPal for one type of product and another merchant for a membership type product.

It’s a big disappointment, however we’re testing another software system to see if it works. I’ll keep you posted as we learn all of the ends and outs.

I’m still all for PayPal. It makes it very easy for purchases to take place. You can read more on that by clicking here. And 1ShoppingCart is still a system I highly recommend especially if you’re looking to have an affiliate program at some point, have need to send autoresponder messages following purchase, do direct shipping, and plan to sell digital products.

Now it’s your turn. Please share if you use PayPal as your merchant account or something else.

How To Be Proactive When Planning Teleclasses

tiffany — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:29:30 +0000

How To Be Proactive When Planning Teleclasses

by Tiffany Johnson

The other day I attempted to participate in a teleseminar and one of the biggest mistakes that could possibly be made was made.

The event was scheduled to start at 2:00pm Eastern. It didn’t start until 30 minutes later. I couldn’t believe it considering who was giving the teleseminar.

When they finally came on the line, turns out they had been there all along, except somehow they forgot to take all of the attendees off of hold.

This is where I’d expect a sincere and genuine apology. One was not given except "We’re very sorry and sometimes things happen and well this is life so…"

What can you do to ensure you have a successful Teleclass?

Have someone to warm up everyone that comes on the line for your event.
Many people will tune in or call in and expect to hear something other than hold music prior to your event. What better way to get the audience relaxed and comfortable than to have someone waiting there to greet them and meet them as they come on the line.

Imagine walking into a large meeting room and no one said anything as you entered. Instead you and everyone else wondered around lost because there was no direction given.

Your greeter is there to give some direction and welcome your guest. Choose someone other than yourself to handle this so you can be calm and ready when the event starts.
Update or remove the event page immediately following your event.
It’s important to know ahead of time what you plan to do with your event in regards to those who will show up after the fact. There will be people who may not open their email until after the event is over. How will you serve them? Will you make the event available for replay? Or will you charge for the recording and maybe even the transcription?

Whatever you decide, update your event page accordingly. If you are not sure what you want to do with the event, remove the page. If you have a WordPress website this can easily be done by changing the status of your page from ‘Published’ to ‘Draft’ until you are ready for the next step.
Update your follow up messages.
Depending on what you have decided for your event, you will need to update your follow up messages after your event is over. If you are offering the replay, you’ll want to revise the email to reflect that. Otherwise those who sign-up will receive call-in information for a call that has already taken place. You don’t want anyone to feel like they are late, missed out, or participating in something old that you don’t intend for them to receive.

If your event will not be offered as a replay for anyone new signing up you don’t have to update your follow up message if you plan to take the page down.
Have a plan regarding what you will do after your event.
It’s very important to know in advance what you want to do with your recorded event. Will you put it on hold until you’re able to work out details? Will you make the replay available for those who participated and signed up? Will you make the replay available to those who don’t show up until after the event?

By having a plan you can move quickly and smoothly to the next step in regards to your event, follow up messages, and website pages related to the event.

This may seem like a lot to do and think about which is why it falls through the cracks. The final tip can help eliminate all of that.

Do not try to do it all yourself.
As mentioned in #1, you want to have someone on the call with you as attendees are coming on the line. This person or someone else could also be a part of the planning phase for your event to ensure everything is in place.

You may have already experienced being overwhelmed by everything that’s needed before, during, and after your event. However, when you have someone working with you who is able to look at it from the attendees point of view it makes things a lot easier.

Your focus will be on the actual event, your content, handouts, etc. The last thing you want to think about is whether attendees can hear you once the call has started or if the event pages and messages have been updated after the event is over.

When hosting your teleclasses see it from the perspective of your audience. Be aware technical glitches do occur, however it’s all about your response. While there are things that may come up that are completely out of your control being proactive helps.

Now it’s your turn, please share in the comments below. What tips do you have for someone doing a teleclass for the first time?

5 Things I Know For Sure About Your Website And Online Presence

tiffany — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:00:09 +0000

5 Things I Know For Sure About Your Website And Online Presence

by Tiffany Johnson

1-It’s an ongoing process

Don’t rush the process. When you first start creating your website and working with a web person they make ask several different questions to get clear understanding about what you’re looking for and what you plan to do with your website. Many times what you set out to do has nothing to do with how you plan to use your website. This is usually when your web guy starts to advise and make suggestions about your site. Have you found that you easily come up with what you plan to do in the future but planning for what will happen now is a bit difficult. Sometimes we want to rush the process.

We don’t want to see our website with just a header and about us page. However not realizing there are steps in creating a website. It’s a process because you may not know how you want each bit to be you just know what you want at the end. Knowing the end is definitely important. However once you’ve got the end you must walk backwards to identify the pieces that make up everything that’s the process. Ever have a house built and then have it completely decorated and painted from top to bottom a few days following your move? I didn’t think so and if you answered yes, it’s rare. Don’t rush the process or you’ll be disappointed when the next phase of the process begins. It will be ongoing because you’ll find yourself wanting to add more things whether you are aware of them now or not.

2-It’s forever changing

Technology changes daily. If you’ve already got your WordPress site setup you are familiar with the frequency of updates to plugins and WordPress. This really is the beauty of why you’d want to use WordPress. Because it is forever changing means it’s keeping up with changes regarding security and outside access to your website. The overall functionality behind the scenes may get tweaked to ensure the latest methods are incorporated so nothing is out of order on your site. If you’re outside of WordPress it’s less likely code has been updated for this purpose. You’d have to initiate that which means you’d have to be aware of what’s going on technology wise. In essence you are pretty much at the mercy of your hosting company.

3-It’s priceless with valuable content

You can have a pretty website with all kinds of bells and whistles however if the content is not good it’s worthless. It’s like meeting someone you find attractive and then they start talking and you wish they’d just kept their mouths shut. Some people are more attractive just standing and not moving or saying anything. This is exactly what a website with great attractions and empty content is like. I’m sure you can think of at least one website you frequent that may not look the best. Why do you go to it — great content.

4-It’s no good if no one knows about it

How many domains have you registered and tinkered with or decided to park until you could figure out what to do? And how many people visited those websites excluding Google bots and spam? Why? They didn’t know about it. Ever learn about something that’s been there for years and you never realized it was there. Recently, I learned about this Chinese restaurant. It’s been there all along, however someone had to tell me about it in order for me to see it was there and to check it out. Same goes for what you do online.

5-It cannot generate traffic for you.

You must do something. Help them get to you by using SEO and keywords. Tell people about it through social media, word of mouth, business cards, direct mail, email signature, social media bio and so on. This is how you get the traffic to come to you.

Now it’s your turn to share. What do you know for sure about your online presence? Please comment below.

Clarity Brings Creativity…Eureka!

tiffany — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 14:14:58 +0000

Clarity Brings Creativity…Eureka!
by Tiffany Johnson

Eureka – an exclamation of triumph on discovering or solving something

You ever have so many things in your head that you have to sort it all out? Me too! And when the sorting happens for me I have to stop and take note of it.

EUREKA!

A while back I created a profile on Google+. I wasn’t sure what I should be doing with it and looked for others to tell me what to say. Yesterday was my eureka moment! I typed like crazy on my blackberry to get it all out just like now.

This was it:

Ever since joining Google+ I have tried to figure out how to use it, what to talk about, who to put in my circle and why. I’ve read different blogs advising how to use Google+ only most of it was the setting up part. Okay, great but tell me what I should be doing with it.

I finally came across a post that list different things to do with it and one idea talked about using it as a niche blog. This way you can talk about things that don’t necessarily go with your main blog and of course not to replace it either. As I was lying down, just now, I almost jumped to my feet as the light bulb went off. It occurred to me what I’ll talk about. I know, totally nerdy to be so excited, but I am:) I don’t like loose ends and until their tied it remains in my head until I can compartmentalize it. So, here goes…

I’m going to share my notes from different books I read. I put my notes in my blackberry because I like to hear the keys and it’s fun that way.

Lately I’ve come across two that surprisingly I could not put down. I’ll start with those and move from there. It’s two fold. (1) It holds me accountable to my goal of reading a book a week and (2) It helps me engage with you and also find out what you’re reading if you’re willing to share.

I will say the books I read are all nonfiction and the current ones are about writing. In addition to sharing my notes, I’ll also talk about how it can be used in reference to your own blog, preferably WordPress. That’s what I mean when I say blog. Blog = WordPress.org:) Enough, enough, just wanted to share as I’m excited and looking forward to playing in Google+. Enjoy your afternoon!!

Oh, and I must find that blog post that was so helpful in showing me what to share here.

EUREKA!

I also had another eureka moment about 20 minutes ago. I’ve been wrestling on what to write on a local blog where I’m supposed to talk about things related to my city. It can be on events, money, business, food, family anything. And that’s the problem, when you have way too many choices it leaves you at a standstill because you have no specific direction.

As a business owner we find ourselves in this situation more often than not because the sky is the limit to what all we can do. It’s important to stop and be still and wait to hear from God on what to do. When it comes you know it because you take off like a rocket with excitement, words, action steps and plans.

When I woke up this morning I had no idea what I was going to write here nor for the local blog. Instead of stressing out, I took my time and eased into the day which helps my creativity flow. It’s also when God speaks. He’s a gentlemen and doesn’t interrupt all the self talk we do, besides would we hear Him anyway?

From this point forward I’m clear on what I’ll write on Google+ and the local blog. And you know the funny thing, once you know the reason you even are writing or doing something else to begin with, you’re set free to have fun and be you.

No longer will you have to say “I got all this stuff twirling around in my head” because you don’t know what to do or say. Take time, right now and be still.

I really hope that helps, I’m off to fulfill my purpose and look forward to you doing the same.

Now it’s your turn! I’d love to hear about your eureka moment. Please share in the comments below.

P.S – I’ll be talking about local things on the local blog. I’ve recently started reading the local newspaper and have started couponing, therefore actually going inside the grocery store…

6 Things I Learned From Setting Up Black Friday Promotions

tiffany — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 09:44:25 +0000

6 Things I Learned From Setting Up Black Friday Promotions

by Tiffany Johnson

This was the first year I had multiple clients setting up special promotions all for the same occasion, Black Friday. Usually promotions and product releases are spaced out. In addition, it was the first year we ran our own Black Friday special. I learned a lot of things from a personal standpoint as well as my clients. It was a stressful, high energy time for all of us. However we made it through with smiles, sales, and new customers.

Although it took the entire weekend to recuperate I’m grateful that my Time Warner wifi played nice, I did not have to prepare a dish for Thanksgiving, and no one expected me to rise at 6am to head out to shop on Black Friday.

I learned a lot of things as a result of preparing for Black Friday that will carry over to other special promotions and product releases as well. Clearly there is much more to learn, so let’s collaborate and form an even larger list.

I’m sharing mine first and then I’d like you to share yours in the comments below. Let’s make the next promotion and product release an exciting and less stressful time for all.

Here are 6 tips for a stress free and exciting special:

It’s going to take more time than you think.
Whatever time you estimate double it. This gives buffer time for graphics, editing, and anything else needed to create your product.
Drawn charts help to follow the sales process and make setting up all the pieces a lot easier as well as see what pieces are needed.
Draw it out

Now that you have added e-commerce to your business model it’s important to observe the process when you purchase online from this point forward. Be more aware of the steps you go through. What do you like, what don’t you like. Do you find yourself saying “I wish it was more like this…” Jot this information down for yourself and reference it for your next special or product offer.
Expect last minute glitches and be ready to make adjustments quickly.
This is part of the reason it’s important to finish everything two-three weeks early. When glitches arise you’re not freaking out or sending abusive emails to your virtual team. You can better access the situation and determine if it’s something you’re just not seeing or if it really is a glitch.
Complete everything for your promotion a week or two prior to it’s release date.
The additional time in between is better used for tweaking and testing.
Become your own customer.
Go through the entire sales process from the point of view of a customer. Ask yourself if the process is easy to follow or whether it requires to many additional steps. For example, if you’re selling an EBook, most people are used to getting the PDF version delivered right away. If your process requires them to sign-up for a website completely unrelated to yours, guess what? You may have lost a customer. Make it super easy.
It’s not the time to add a new merchant account.
If you’ve been using PayPal up to this point, stick with that. Add your new merchant later or well in advance of your special promotion. You not only want to make it easy for purchasing, but also easy for yourself.

Now it’s your turn. Please share what you learned as a result of a special promotion or product release.

Tiffany D Parson, is the visionary and CEO behind Virtual Hired Hand. She helps busy online business owners maintain their online presence including their websites and social media. She is a coach and trainer to new virtual assistants and those looking to get started in the industry. She started her online business full-time in 2008. Meet Tiffany »

Happy Thanksgiving and A Strong Finish Is A Great Way To End The Year

tiffany — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 10:39:46 +0000

Happy Thanksgiving and A Strong Finish Is A Great Way To End The Year
Tiffany Johnson

The first time I saw this video it was in 2009 for a class I was taking online. It completely rocked my world. You know you can do anything, but this, wow. This was truly a manifestation of being able to do anything.

We are so blessed with so much regardless of what you have or don’t have. Even when you think you don’t have, you’ve still got something more than someone else and the same for them.

Today is Thanksgiving. Take the time to really see your family and friends for who they are from God’s standpoint and not your own. Even the one that everyone has said is “no good” has been labeled good by God. You know He don’t make no junk:)

I don’t take it for granted that you’re reading this. It’s time out of your day that you’ll never get back and to spend that with me, here, I’m honored and appreciate you.

As we quickly approach another month, the peak of the holiday season, reflect on what you’ve done so far this year.

Write down all that you’re grateful for.

Note your goals for this year.

What got accomplished?

What didn’t get accomplished?

What do you still have time to do?

Will you finish 2011 strong?

Now it’s your turn. Please share in the comments below. After watching this video what changes will you make? How will your thoughts change as you make decisions about your business, online presence, and website?

Tiffany D Parson, is the visionary and CEO behind Virtual Hired Hand. She helps busy online business owners maintain their online presence including their websites and social media. She is a coach and trainer to new virtual assistants and those looking to get started in the industry. She started her online business full-time in 2008. Meet Tiffany »

Engage With Your Thank You Page

tiffany — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 13:17:49 +0000

Engage With Your Thank You Page

Video Transcription:

Let’s talk about the process of your sale, this is after someone has purchased from your WordPress website and it’s about how they get your product, but also what happens after that.

As we’re in the process of planning actually finishing up our Black Friday offer and this is something that will carry you over into your other promotions throughout this year and next year and on and on.

You always want to think about the process that your customers will go through as they are purchasing.

A lot of times we get the initial done, we’ve got the copy done, and we’ve got the product done and we’ve delivered to them, but we don’t think about the after.

Like, how are we saying “thank you.”

On your Thank You page, there’s several things you can do to really engage your customer and get them excited that they even bought from you in the first place.

I took a few notes here just to show you how you can engage on your Thank You page. Let me take this off.

So the first thing you might want to consider is:

You may want to video yourself saying “thanks so much for purchasing my…. . I’m glad you’re here. Look at your link below to grab your l ink below to grab your copy of” and then whatever the product may be.

May be you also want to consider if not video, try a picture.

I saw a great Thank You page on Tyler Perry’s website actually after you sign up for his mailing list and he’s got this cool picture of him sitting there and he’s like looking at you like this.

And under it, it’s says “thank you so much yada, yada, ya Tyler Perry” and so a picture works as well.

Click image to enlarge

Another thing you can do is include links to additional resources. So give them an option to continue with you with additional resources.

Click image to enlarge

Maybe it is encouraging them to be a part of your regular updates. Not saying “join your newsletter” but to be apart of your VIP community or something like that. Anything other than “join my mailing list”.

But the goal is for them to be a part of that newsletter.

You can also with your additional resources is lead them to the most popular blog posts or blog posts that are related to the product that they just purchased.

So maybe you can say something like “since you’re interested in this you may also want to read about more here on the blog posts” and that again draws them in to what you have to say. Pulls them into the community and may even also get their interest to be a part of your email list as well.

Click image to enlarge

A third thing which is great, we all like bonuses and unexpected surprises, so maybe you can include a bonus on that Thank You page.

This just gives you an idea of some things that you can do as you’re planning that wonderful Thank You page.

And going forward after you’ve completed your product, this is how you can continually learn and continually observe other Thank You pages that you see.

Note.
Take note of it. Take note of the Thank You pages that you like and the ones that you don’t like. Noting the things that seemed to work or really caused you to say “umm, I like that” or the things that made you smile on that thank you page.

Observe.
The other thing is to observe. You’ve got to observe with everythign single email, with every single process that you do online. Observe how you are told “Thank You.”

Collect.
Collect different examples with screenshots or you can create different, grab those snapshots using Evernote or just your regular ‘Print Screen’ on your computer and put it in a folder. This way when you’re ready to create your thank you pages you can draw some inspiration and you’re not always having to you know just start from a blank canvas.

It’s so important how we say “Thank You”.

You can engage your customer on that Thank You page.

Yes they already purchased.

Yes, they’re saying yes to you and your product by the purchase, but the relationship is just beginning.

End it or open it depending on that Thank You page.

Thanks so much!

Have a super day.

Now it’s your turn. Please share in the comments below how you will use your thank you page to engage your audience.

Tiffany D Parson, is the visionary and CEO behind Virtual Hired Hand. She helps busy online business owners maintain their online presence including their websites and social media. She is a coach and trainer to new virtual assistants and those looking to get started in the industry. She started her online business full-time in 2008. Meet Tiffany »

Random Thoughts, EBooks, Products, and Stepping Out of Who You Think You Are

tiffany — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 14:30:19 +0000

Random Thoughts, EBooks, Products, and Stepping Out of Who You Think You Are

How often do you have random thoughts? Daily I’m sure. And how often do you write it down somewhere and then go back and look at it once you’ve come back to yourself.

I say come back to yourself, but I’ve found the things I think when I’m just writing and allow words to flow end up being exactly what I need to say or was looking for.

It’s when I try too hard and sit thinking and thinking when nothing comes. That’s why words flow freely in the shower, while you’re driving, or anywhere else that’s a real inconvenience for writing.

Your mind is relaxed and not concentrating on whatever it is you’re working on.

Most of my clients are preparing for Black Friday and if you didn’t get a chance to see the post where I talked about shopping carts and your black friday offer be sure to check it out Click Here.

I also talked about it on my BlogTalkRadio show. You can checkout the archives to your right. (total coincidence that this sentence lines up with the exact location of it in the sidebar. Whew! I love you God:))

Here are some not so random thoughts to get you moving and out of what’s comfortable. When you’re free in life, you can be free in your business to do the thing that others are afraid to do and that’s be themselves.

We’ve talked ourselves out of success by saying:

I get bored easily

You have to hold my attention

I don’t get it; I can’t get it

I’m a slow learner

It takes time for me to understand something

This is stupid

I give up

This doesn’t make sense anyway

I didn’t like it anyway

It’s just not for me

Whatever!

All of this gives us permission to quit, fail, or not try. When we change what we say to ourselves then we’ll see the difference we’re looking for.

I said all of this because I then wondered:

What are you saving “that” for?

I wrote a blog post that so inspired me I had to pull over and write it on a napkin called Must Love People. I was so compelled to write like when you’re dehydrated and take a long drink of water. When I got finished I’d written on every side and corner.

I was over thinking later that day when it was time to do my newsletter. Of course it hit me to send the one I’d just written already, it was still on the napkin and had gotten crumpled up. I was going to save it for a special time. Maybe a Saturday post or something like that.

I know it seems strange, but we all do it. Save our content for the right moment the exact time in space whatever that is. The reality is when writing and creativity strikes it’s time to move.

What have you been saving for the right time?

Is it that ebook that’s saved on the old laptop or flashdrive that you’ve been meaning to have edited?

Or is it the audio you recorded while in rush hour traffic where you spoke for a full 8 mins into your smartphone?

Is it the videos that aren’t so perfect but give us a peak into your fun-loving and bubbly personality?

Whatever it may be I challenge you to put it out their for all of us to see. And once you’ve done so come back to this post and share your experience and the link to what we would have missed out on.

If you plan to take on this challenge, let me know now in the comments below so I can bug you, in love until you do;)

Tiffany D Parson, is the visionary and CEO behind Virtual Hired Hand. She helps busy online business owners maintain their online presence including their websites and social media. She is a coach and trainer to new virtual assistants and those looking to get started in the industry. She started her online business full-time in 2008. Meet Tiffany »

Understand the Power of Influence You Have And The People Who Connect With You

tiffany — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 08:44:19 +0000

Understand the Power of Influence You Have And The People Who Connect With You

If you’re like me, you have your favorite peeps online. More than likely they’ve shared their life with you in some way and given you a glimpse of what it would be like to hangout with them. Or maybe you’ve thought about it on your own and determined hey so and so would be so fun to hangout with or shop with or have a quick chat on the phone maybe even meetup at an event.

Has it ever occurred to you, that someone is looking at you in that same way? Whether it’s someone you know online or someone you’ve met where you live, you are a power of influence to someone. They may be in your home, church, work, who knows.

How would you feel if the person you admired online revealed they weren’t really a man but a woman? I’m not talking about an online dating situation just your favorite blog for example?

Or if you thought the person was single and then one day they reveal they have stepchildren which means at some point they were married.

What if you learned they smoked and you’d pictured them being more of the healthy type?

How would you feel if you learned I was married with three children? Would you think I’d somehow lied to you because I never said anything about them?

I would feel shocked and wonder why didn’t you tell me. And then I’d have to tell myself, Tiffany you really don’t know them. It’s okay. It would take a minute to get past.

On the other hand, if the person were completely open and spoke about their family, pets, neighbors, extended family members and anyone else who crossed their path that would make great material for their writing. This person you’d feel close to and comfortable with because they were sharing about themselves.

Knowing how you would feel in this situation are you meeting those expectations on your own website or are you over educating your readers like a teacher rather than a friend? When you were in school, how many teachers did you call friend? There’s a reason. They usually kept things strictly business, strictly to the information.

It amazes me how close we get to those we read or watch on a weekly basis. Those who are offline more than online would argue something is wrong with that or not really understand. And that’s okay. I’ve decided to not convince non-Internet people to get online. Instead I share the reasons why. When you can give someone an experience through your own they’ll eventually catch up. And in the meantime share, no longer teach. But guide like a friend would guide.

Oh, and by the way I don’t have a husband and 3 kids, but one day I will. I am trying to think of a creative name for non-mommy-blogger. If you can think of one let me know.

Now its your turn. Have you ever felt duped by someone who enjoyed reading online?

Tiffany D Parson, is the visionary and CEO behind Virtual Hired Hand. She helps busy online business owners maintain their online presence including their websites and social media. She is a coach and trainer to new virtual assistants and those looking to get started in the industry. She started her online business full-time in 2008. Meet Tiffany »

Must Love People

tiffany — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 08:44:15 +0000

Must Love People
By: Tiffany Johnson

“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” – Mother Teresa

You must love people. This should be top priority when you’re in business. In fact, we’re not commanded by God to like people, but to love them. If you cannot love you will be a pretty crappy business owner. Sure you may win if you live in a small town and you’re the best thing in it. But if otherwise, it’s time to show some love.

I don’t mean going around hugging every customer that walks through the door. I mean showing a genuine feeling of love towards them.

The other day I saw an inspiring video by Chick-Fil-A. It caused me to take a step back and think about what’s going on with other people. Sometimes it’s easy to think that a frown or scowl is at you. When it really could be they just got in a fight or learned of some terrible news.

Last year when my dad passed, I remember being at the hair salon the same day I learned they would be taking him off life support. The nurse casually asked if I had any questions about what would take place on that Friday. I gave her a blank stare. That’s when she realized I had no idea what she was talking about. When she said they were taking him off the machines, I didn’t quite process it. I asked if it was to see how he would do without everything or if that would be it.

Unfortunately, it was the latter. Until that moment I’d never experienced “jello legs.” It felt like someone had sucked the life out of me. My poor dad lay there painless with a trachea in his throat. The nurse said “You know your dad is very, very sick.”

It’s funny, we use the term life support, but until you’re starring it dead in your face it’s not exactly clear what that means. I knew he was on a breathing machine, but somehow I didn’t think of it as life support, until that moment.

This scene played in my mind as I sat under the hair dryer. Apparently my stylist noticed I wasn’t myself and in her thick Spanish accent asked what was wrong. I told her and the tears started rolling down my face uncontrollably. She immediately shouted something in Spanish and all the other stylists in the salon gathered around me. They prayed and laid hands on me right there in the salon. Their prayers were also in Spanish and I had no clue what they were saying, but whatever they were saying was exactly what I needed.

You never know what’s going on truly with people when you ask how are you doing. What if we stopped responding with “fine” and gave a real answer? And what if the person asking actually took the time to listen?

Love must be a part of your business. Take the time to notice what’s going on with your customers. Really hear what they’re not saying. Everyone has a story.

This is the video by Chick-Fil-A. I hope it inspires you as much as it did me.

Now it’s your turn, please share a time in business where you showed or received love.

Tiffany D Parson, is the visionary and CEO behind Virtual Hired Hand. She helps busy online business owners maintain their online presence including their websites and social media. She is a coach and trainer to new virtual assistants and those looking to get started in the industry. She started her online business full-time in 2008. Meet Tiffany »

What You Need In Order To Sell That E-Book And The Differences In PayPal, 1ShoppingCart, PayLoadz, And E-Junkie

tiffany — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 12:53:52 +0000

What You Need In Order To Sell That E-Book And The Differences In PayPal, 1ShoppingCart, PayLoadz, And E-Junkie

By: Tiffany Johnson

What’s needed to start selling your first product?

I. Product

You need a product. What will you provide? Will it be an E-Book, MP3, videos?

Consider the graphics you’ll use to show off your product. Make sure what you’re showing makes sense with the product itself. If you’re selling a video series, it may be confusing to your audience if the image is a spiral bound E-Book.

Consider the size of your product. Most shopping carts have limits on the file size for delivered digital products. In addition, your customer may not have the storage space on their computer to house a large set of videos.

II. Sales Page

The dilemma on this is usually copy. I completely understand this struggle as I am working to improve this skill myself. It’s also something that you can outsource to someone with experience and a proven track record.

You could also give a brand new copywriter a chance to get some experience with your sales page for a lower rate. It works for both sides and saves a lot of time on your end. If you’ve even attempted to write your own copy, you’ve come to realize that attention grabbing and copy that connects doesn’t come from wishful thinking or starring at the ceiling. It takes much practice.

III. Plan

Decide what you want the flow to look like for your customer from the time they land on your sales page to a week from their purchase.

How will they receive their product?

Will you continue the relationship after purchase?

Are you going to check on them regarding the product to see if they have questions, are enjoying it, or can share their results?

This is the part of the sales process that gets overlooked by many first time sellers.

See your customers at their computer as they go through the purchase process. Become them and see how friendly your system is and if the information and instructions you provide regarding how to download the product. Are they helpful in retaining customers or hurtful and cause them to be even more confused.

IV. Test

You definitely want to test everything from beginning to end. Give it a final run from the customers point of view. In fact, if you can, have a friend, or family member make a test purchase and get their feedback on the process. The less tech savvy they are the better. This will give you a true sense of what could happen.

It will also help you identify what part of your system needs tweaking and even help you come up with some commonly asked questions.

If you get the sales process right the first time out, it will make it that much easier the second time around.

The video below provides additionally information specifically regarding special promotions such as black Friday. Also, it reviews the differences in PayPal, 1ShoppingCart, PayLoadz, and E-Junkie

How will you use your shopping cart?

It depends on what you will be using it for right now, meaning TODAY, meaning with the product you’re about to put up on your sales page NOW. Not in the coming months or next year.

Remember your customers are just looking for the ‘Buy Now’ or ‘Add to Cart’ button to let them purchase. They’re not monitoring which cart system you’re using. Many people start out with PayPal and then upgrade to something like 1ShoppingCart.

Unless they’re like me and are just interested in the most used systems.

In addition to the ability to purchase products through your shopping cart system, are you looking to:

Send out broadcast, messages, or newsletters?

Send autoresponder messages?

Have your own affiliate program?

Deliver digital products?

This is helpful in determining which shopping cart will work best for your current needs. If anything is planned for the future, you can always switch to a new shopping cart system.

In order of simplicity:

PayPal

E-Junkie

PayLoadz

1ShoppingCart

Bottom line, choose a shopping cart that works for you where you are right now. It will save a lot of frustration and headache.

Now it’s your turn:) Please share in the comments below which shopping cart you use and why.

Tiffany D Parson, is the visionary and CEO behind Virtual Hired Hand. She helps busy online business owners maintain their online presence including their websites and social media. She is a coach and trainer to new virtual assistants and those looking to get started in the industry. She started her online business full-time in 2008. Meet Tiffany »

When Your Heart’s Desire Clashes With The Norm: From Sickness to Success the Rise of a Virtual Worklife

tiffany — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 08:44:29 +0000

When Your Heart’s Desire Clashes With The Norm: From Sickness to Success the Rise of a Virtual Worklife

By: Tiffany Johnson

In January 2007 I was fired from my job as a program manager. I was prepared, yet devastated and in shock. However, I was also grateful. If this had not of happened to me, I might still be there 4 years later desperately wanting to work from home.

As I was walked to the main entrance by the director of human resources, I knew in my heart I would never return to a corporate job again. While I had no idea what was to come this was one thing I knew for sure.

The following month I got a part-time job at a local gym giving tours and selling membership packages. Later I got certified to teach group fitness classes, something I’d been wanting to do but I had no time due to my job. By the summer I began to get antsy and wonder if I needed to start looking for a job again. I said I wasn’t going back to a corporate job, but the art consulting business wasn’t working out.

Eventually I got a part-time corporate job and told myself it was different because it wasn’t “full-time.” As soon as I walked onto the floor, saw the hundreds of gray cubicles and heard little noise except for a phone ringing in the background, I knew I’d made a mistake. I landed right back to cubicle nation after being away for 11 months.

It wasn’t long before I got extremely sick. After having every test under the sun completed with little findings, I was diagnosed by my neurologist with Tolosa-Hunt syndrome, thanks to Mystery Diagnosis on the Discovery Channel. Apparently the good doctor and I had been watching the same episode the Saturday before my appointment. There was a case very similar to mine with the exact symptoms and everything.

Can you believe he charged me extra for that visit because our consultation went over time? I stopped going to him after that.

Looking back on it now, I believe I got sick because I wasn’t supposed to be working in that environment. I was created for more. To be more creative, more alive, FREE. What it did do was spark something in me that had been snuffed out after being laid-off twice as a computer programmer.

Back then, after 9/11, the jobs in my field were drying up and certain skills were no longer in demand. This job involved creating extensive reports, and formulas, and coding bringing me back to what I loved. Programming is like playing with jigsaw puzzles all day or solving the latest Sudoku puzzle. Some are easy, some medium, and some hard, but when you get it solved, it’s exciting!

I had started working different projects online and was getting great results. It got to a point where my job was interfering with my online work. Sounds funny I know. It was really because I’d accepted too many projects at once. However, it made a great line-up of clients for when I’d make my big exit.

I contacted the consulting agency I worked for to find out how far in advance I needed to give a resignation notice. I was told 30 days. On August 19, 2008, the same day I made the phone call, I turned in my 30 day notice.

I had not planned to quit my job that day, but had no problems thinking of the write words to say in my goodby email. I had 30 days to get even more projects and would no longer be limited because of my 9-5 schedule.

It was a very long 30 days. Fortunately my manager allowed me to have Thursday instead of that Friday as my last day.

On September 18, 2008, my father’s birthday, I spent my last 7 hours I’d ever work in a cube. The timing is even more special now than it was back then. My dad passed away August 28, 2010. He owned a funeral home business and also worked full-time. He had only been retired for 4 years when he passed away. If you look up workaholic in the dictionary you’ll see my dad’s picture along with many other people that have a hard time letting the work go and have some fun.

My burning desire to own my own business comes from him. I knew after working in the corporate world for 2 years it wasn’t for me. I remember my mother saying I hadn’t pulled my time yet and I shouldn’t even think about leaving a job yet. I was only 22 for goodness sake. I’ve always wanted to work for myself, but didn’t know how without a building and office space.

Fast forward to today. I have been working online full-time for over 3 years and it has been a true blessing. This time of year I no longer wonder whether I’ll get the additional days off for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s. I’m not concerned if the company will give out bonus checks in time for black Friday.

Instead I have the pleasure of working with my clients to get them prepared for black Friday and any other special holiday promotions on their websites. The freedom of working virtual from home is far beyond what I could have ever imagined. And I’m meeting people I never would have had the pleasure of meeting. People from all over the world.

I’m able to work from the comforts of my home, car, hotel, backyard, park, wherever I so choose. While this life is not for everyone, it is ideal for those who are looking for an opportunity to set their own schedule and pay rate.

As a single business owner with no children, I am laying the foundation now for my future family.

If my future husband is relocated because of his job, my business goes with me. If there’s a family emergency and I have to be at the hospital, my business goes with me. And when my future children have school field trips, games, or plays at school, I’ll be right there, without having to get anyone’s permission to do so.

There are enough challenges in life, why should the way we earn money be one of them? I believe the majority of the time work should be fun. The flexibility of working online far out ways anything I could have ever imagined.

There are so many possibilities for virtual service providers. My desire is to to develop people who will provide the ultimate service to their clients and stay on top of their game when it comes to serving, skill, and technology.

Wouldn’t it be great to have a skilled and qualified virtual team member as your “go to girl” or “go to guy” to give you more time to work on money making projects and the things you do best? Or to be the virtual “go to girl” or “go to guy” on the team?

In the coming weeks, we’re making that dream come alive with our new training program.

Now it’s your turn. Please share how working or doing business online has impacted your family life. What would your life look like if you didn’t work online?

Tiffany D Parson, is the visionary and CEO behind Virtual Hired Hand. She helps busy online business owners maintain their online presence including their websites and social media. She is a coach and trainer to new virtual assistants and those looking to get started in the industry. She started her online business full-time in 2008. Meet Tiffany »

Your #1 Fan: Dreamcatchers and Roses

tiffany — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 12:38:25 +0000

I never told you this before, but my very first blog was a fitness blog. The purpose was to update a small group of local ladies on the dates and times they could come for a free fitness class.

This was several years ago after I’d been sick for many months and was getting back into teaching group fitness.

I went back and took a look at some of those post and found two I thought would fit nicely with the Virtual Hired Hand community.

These will be featured in an inspirational book I’m writing for online business owners.

Your #1 Fan

First things first what are your dreams? Have you been still long enough to dream?

Dreamcatcher #1 – Make a list of your dreams. It doesn’t have to be long, start with 3. Everyday should bring you closer and closer to your dream. Do you remember a few issues ago me talking about how I want my legs to look. That’s a dream that I’m comfortable sharing because its out of the delicate stage. I’m almost where I want to be and I work on it everyday.

Dreamcatcher #2 – Create an environment that is supportive of your dreams. If you dream of getting into a bathing suit this summer, get out of the drive-thru line. This is what I had to do.

Dreamcatcher #3 – Check daily activities to see if they are busters or catchers of your dreams. I used to go to McDonald’s after teaching my group fitness class and pray that no one from the gym saw me. Obviously this was not supportive of my dream to be healthy and get into a single digit dress size.

Dreamcatcher #4 – Do a conversation check. Is it a supporter? This includes self-talk as well. Start telling yourself what you’re going to do and not what you want to do. Lots of people want to sing, but true singers don’t say I want to. Wanting is fine, but doing gets it done.

Dreamcatcher #5 – Ask yourself daily – does what I’m doing or participating in match up with my dreams? Is it a dreambuster or dreamcatcher? Start writing each day what you’re doing to get closer to your dreams.

We’ve all got to become our own #1 fan. Being enthusiastic devotees pursuing our dreams like never before and being protective of them. There’s no time to waste. Dreambusters are always lurking whether we realize and recognize it or not. Pull out your dreamcatchers and make your dreams your reality.

Stop and Smell the Roses

A couple of Sundays ago I did something I hadn’t done in years, in fact I don’t think I’ve ever done it. I had a little picnic in the backyard.

It was such a beautiful and sunny day, I felt like being outside. It was so beautiful and peaceful aside from the red ants (I’m in the country). Hearing the birds just chirping away without a care in the world…WOW…if only we all could be that way.

I was so inspired that day to appreciate even more, the gifts and blessings of God. I was finally taking time to stop and smell the roses.

When was the last time you took a few minutes to stop and smell the roses?

S.T.O.P
Simply Turn On Praise^©

S.M.E.L.L
Seek, Meditate, Emerge, Live Life^©

R.O.S.E.S
Rise Over Situations – End Successful^©

You and I both know the only person we can change is ourselves. If you’re waiting on someone else in order to get started, you’ll be waiting.

It’s good to look back sometimes and see where you were to know how far you’ve come. I don’t recommend you stay with your back turned, but a quick glance is plenty and that’s what this post was all about. As I was reading through it I remembered on my way home this came to my mind. I think I’ve got a thing with acronyms;)

Forget trying to be perfect:

People
Expecting
Results
Finding
Excuses
Can’t
Take them
Into
Outstanding
Net profits^©

Now it’s your turn to share in the comments below. How do you plan to smell the roses while ensuring your dreams come true?

Tiffany D Parson, is the visionary and CEO behind Virtual Hired Hand. She helps busy online business owners maintain their online presence including their websites and social media. She is a coach and trainer to new virtual assistants and those looking to get started in the industry. She started her online business full-time in 2008. Meet Tiffany »

From Idea to Hobby to Online Business: Extreme Couponing for Beginners

tiffany — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 09:10:29 +0000

From Idea to Hobby to Online Business: Extreme Couponing for Beginners

I’m writing this blog post for Danielle and anyone else struggling with how they can start an online business with something they enjoy and something that other people are seeking. She has no earthly idea I’m doing this and we’ve only met through a Facebook Group.

If you’ve seen my previous blog post about the coupon divas, she’s the founder of that group. I’ve been wanting to reach out to her for a while now
and got the nerve the other day to send her a private message on Facebook.

This was my message:

Hi Danielle!

You do such an awesome job with the Coupon group. Ever thought of making it a business? It seems there’s always someone new looking to learn the steps of how to get started with coupons, including myself:)

Warmly!

Tiffany

And this was her response:

Yes – I do need to – any suggestions???

I could sense the excitement in her message and wanted to provide suggestions, but wasn’t sure exactly how. I’m working on not being overly excited for the possibilities of someone else, however I do embrace the fact that I want everyone to succeed in what they’ve been called to.

I’ve found many people don’t even realize their feet are planted exactly where they should be, where they should create and where the rivers of abundance will flow if they take notice.

Danielle is a guru couponer. I’ve been a not so visible presence in this group and pop in on the weekends and some days to see what everyone has saved on their latest excursion to the grocery store.

One thing I noticed that continually happens in this group is that each time a new couponer joins they ask the same questions. What do I need to do to get started couponing? Where should I store my coupons? Do you take your coupons every where you go?

And many more questions like this. Right now the group has over 750 members and growing each day. I’ve even had a few people ask me to invite them to the group after reading the blog post on what I learned when I first joined the group.

Being me, I immediately saw the potential in the development of this group and the desire for people to save money at the grocery store and most recently the gas station. Danielle took a picture showing a receipt where her husband earned $24.91 towards his next gas purchase thanks to the partnership between certain grocery stores and gas stations.

I bet you didn’t know you can now swipe your grocery store savings card and get credit based on your gas purchase;)

So back to Danielle and how she can channel her savings hobby into a successful business online.

Please note I make no guarantees or promises on this. I just see potential and my philosophy is go for it! She’s already providing the information and is sitting in the midst of her ideal clients without even realizing it. These are women from all over the United States in this group, not just in her local area.

If you do something similiar that is in high demand, replace what is listed for couponing with what you do.

Here are some options:

Write a How To Get Started Ebook and sell it online.

Create videos each time you go shopping with your coupons showing us exactly how it’s done.

Upload those videos to YouTube and optimize them for search engines.

It’s an absolute must that you create a WordPress.org website.

Host paid webinars taking newbies like myself through the process of how to get started with coupons.

Truth be told you’ve got everything you need already at your fingertips. It’s just a matter of what you’ll do to move forward and see what happens when you go for it!

Now it’s your turn:

In the comments below, please share your experience as an online business owner and if coupons have made a difference for you, your family, and your business.

P.S – I get all kinds of ideas for people to get started online. My specialty is pointing you in the right direction and then being your in house assistant virtually for what you’ll do online. If you’re struggling on how teleclasses or digital products can help your business note that in the comments below. You may be featured next…

Tiffany D Parson, is the visionary and CEO behind Virtual Hired Hand. She helps busy online business owners maintain their online presence including their websites and social media. She is a coach and trainer to new virtual assistants and those looking to get started in the industry. She started her online business full-time in 2008. Meet Tiffany »

What Is Your Unique Factor?

tiffany — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 08:44:11 +0000

What Is Your Unique Factor?

When you think of the word unique, what comes to mind?

Different

Unusual

Weird

Uncommon

Only one of its kind

This list could go on and on. Are you aware of what sets you apart from everyone else who does what you do?

What do your clients, friends, or family say makes you stand out from the rest?

If you and I were selling a widget on opposite street corners and had been given the same sales training we would still sell the widget differently.

Why?

Because we both bring a unique factor to the product.

Your unique factor is….YOU!

One of my favorite quotes is “No one can beat you at being you.”

So why are so many people copy-cating the way someone speaks, writes, or does whatever it is that they do?

I’m perplexed at why we’re not okay with our unique factor.

Remember when being different was cool. But we still weren’t quite sure what it meant so we looked to others to show us the way.

In the 80′s it was banana clips, one lace glove thanks to Madonna, and mismatched earrings. And for Halloween you may have dressed up like Tina Turner with wild hair and a big sweatshirt dress. Oh how different we were!

Were you a fan of the Cosby Show? The sweaters, the “Gordon Gartrelle” shirt Denise made for Theo, the funky hairstyles were our guide to being different, unique.

The 90′s brought big hoop earrings with a key hanging from it thanks to Janet Jackson. Did you have a pair of parachute pants aka MC Hammer pants?

The guys wore high top fades. One guy in high school used to wear bowling shoes instead of the typical oxfords and I’m sure he was copying someone else. Salt ‘N’ Pepa had us wearing our hair asymmetrically, one side was long and the other short. It took forever for the short side to catch up when you got tired of the haircut. My poor cabbage patch doll also was a victim to this hairstyle. And I cannot forget the mile high stacked bangs. Either way, we all had your own “unique” style.

Welcome to the 21st Century! We’re all grown up and have replaced our favorite singers and TV show characters with our favorite peeps online. We’re copying how they talk, wear their hair, and how they write.

We’ve some how missed the fact that we’ve been uniquely and wonderfully made by God. Unique – different – only one – limited edition – none can match it, yet unfortunately we’re too afraid to be just that.

In school we were told how to write and in what voice to write. We were even told which pencil to use and how to shade in the circle just right so your answer would get counted on the test. As much as we want to break free we struggle afraid we’ll be judged or won’t get hired or selected. We want to be social on social media, yet aren’t sure if we should separate and hide our real friends from our online friends.

God forbid someone find out I enjoy loud music dancing and singing and that’s just at church. If you knew I was a Jesus freak would you still love me? Would you still ask to work with me? Would you still like me, follow me, and retweet me?

Ever felt like you were behind and the more you try to catch up the farther behind you got. It’s because you’ve gotten out of your lane and are trying to run someone else’s race. Of course it doesn’t have to be that way when you’re being yourself in all it’s uniqueness. Whether that includes the tattoo you got sophomore year in college because your roommate and her friend were going to get one so you tagged along.

Too often I’m seeing carbon copies of things I’ve read or heard. It’s real easy to do with information being available so freely online.

My desire is for you to stand strong, stand up, and be the person you’ve been created to be. It’s tempting to follow the crowd and copy someone else and on the surface appears to be so much easier. In reality, it’s not. It’s hard waiting to see what the Joneses are going to do next so you’ll know your next move.

Get your voice, your style, and your own abilities. If I were to act like you and you were to act like me, the world would be a mess because we’d bump into each other. No one would ever start after the ‘mark, get set, GO!’ We’d all be stalling waiting to see what the first person was going to do so we’d know what to do.

It seems crazy to think that being ourselves could some how turn people away. And if it does, what? If someone doesn’t think you’re for them you shouldn’t change, instead seek those made just for you and build a fun and happy community.

Can you believe some business owners are hiding behind their logos and stock photos because they’re concerned people will find out what they look like? And people are sitting in seminars and paying money and fed this crap. It makes me upset because in some way shape or form we’ve all been affected by it.

Let’s run the race we’ve been given and run it swiftly gracefully and seek guidance when we need it. And then go right back and continue the flow again and again and again.

I challenge you today, take a look at your website, your product, your social media profiles. Is it a reflection of who you really are, what someone told you would work, or what you thought looked good on someone else’s so you put it on yours? If it’s not you, it’s time to make it yours.

Lots of people are counting on you to show up. Not the person you’re copying or presenting as you, but the real you. The world is waiting in earnest expectation for the uniqueness of you.

This post was written prior to hearing about the passing of Steve Jobs. If there’s one thing we can all learn from him, it’s to: Embrace YOU, crazy and all!

Now it’s your turn. Please share what it means to be yourself in your business and in life.

Tiffany D Parson, is the visionary and CEO behind Virtual Hired Hand. She helps busy online business owners maintain their online presence including their websites and social media. She is a coach and trainer to new virtual assistants and those looking to get started in the industry. She started her online business full-time in 2008. Meet Tiffany »

What I Learned from Kathy Griffin That Helped Identify 3 Tips for Effective Teleclasses

tiffany — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 15:10:17 +0000

What I Learned from Kathy Griffin That Helped Identify 3 Tips for Effective Teleclasses

I am a huge fan of reality TV. My guilty pleasure is watching all the different Real Housewives, Flipping Out, all that good stuff on Bravo!. That’s how I unwind sometimes on the weekend. Recently I was watching a marathon of Kathy Griffin’s “My Life on the D List.”

Kathy Griffin is a comedienne and her reality show let’s you see what happens behind the scenes of her live shows and her life at home. One particular episode showed Kathy going on various gigs at different locations. I noticed one thing she did at every location, whether it was the Veteran’s Hospital or a diverse couples only cruise, she mixed and mingled with her audience. Prior to her show, she would go where the were.

How many times have you been advised to go where the people you serve are? Find out what they like, what they’re interested in, what they’re looking for, what they want, what they need.

This is exactly what Kathy was doing.

You’d think as a comedienne, she’d be sitting around thinking of jokes or looking at what’s going on in her immediate environment and how that could be translated into something funny, but everywhere she went she got to know her audience. She was able to find out about them and get a feel of what jokes would work and what jokes wouldn’t work based on their conversations.

She needed to know what was funny to each group so she could deliver something just for them. The jokes may have been similar, but the way she said it was perfect for that particular group.

What material works best for your audience?

Do they prefer eBooks over books, Twitter over Facebook?

Recently, I presented a teleseminar about the beginning stages of teleclasses. We discussed various things such as how to feel comfortable presenting to a virtual audience and overcoming stage fright. Prior to the event I sent a survey to the group.

In the survey, I asked five multiple choice questions:

How many teleclasses have you attended this year?

How many teleclasses have you presented?

Do you prefer teleseminars or webinars?

For the teleseminars you’ve participated in, did you listen from your: cell phone, home phone, computer?

What is your biggest challenge when it comes to presenting your own teleclasses?

Preparing the content

Not sure what software to use

Getting people to sign up for the call

No time to plan it

Other

I learned most of my audience had never hosted a teleclass, which meant they were in the right place since we would be discussing the basics of teleclasses.

There was almost an even split between those who access online events using their telephone vs. those who use their computers.

The big surprise was that 100% of those participating preferred webinars over teleseminars. WOW! This was a huge eye opener for me and definitely got my wheels turning regarding the next event.

I leaned more towards teleseminars for several reasons:

It only requires a telephone line.

There is no software to download.

It makes it very convenient for those who may not be at their computers at the time of the event.

After looking through the survey results, I realized some adjustments in my approach are needed. If what I’m delivering is not what my audience prefers, it could easily turn some people off. I wondered how I could bridge the gap between the benefits of teleseminars and the visual apsect of webinars.

The answer came from the survey.

One person offered a suggestion to use handouts when doing teleseminars for those who learn visually. Bingo! Problem solved. I really like the idea of handouts. The can be printed out or viewed directly from the computer.

This is such a simple idea, but obviously one I completely overlooked. Could this be you too? Are you overlooking something that would further benefit your audience?

Use surveys to get this information. And after the event send a survey as well. If you were presenting in person, more than likely you would pass out an evaluation form. Do the same for your online events. It not only helps you do better the next time, but also identifies the next steps regarding products or services you could provide to your audience.

Thus far, Survey Monkey is the best tool for creating simple and easy surveys.

Each time you present information, you have an opportunity to learn something new. Asking the right questions helps to learn more about those you serve.

If you’re unsure of what your audience is looking for, do what Kathy does — go where the people are, talk to them, ask them.

Now it’s your turn. In the comments below please share how you plan to use surveys to learn more about your audience?

Tiffany D Parson, is the visionary and CEO behind Virtual Hired Hand. She helps busy online business owners maintain their online presence including their websites and social media. She is a coach and trainer to new virtual assistants and those looking to get started in the industry. She started her online business full-time in 2008. Meet Tiffany »

Outsource Your Busyness

tiffany — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 09:44:18 +0000

Outsource Your Busyness

It was so beautiful outside the other day I decided to get my car washed. It was long overdue and I’d been telling myself, I’d wash it next weekend.

However each weekend, something else would come up or there wouldn’t be any time. It takes me about 2 hours to wash my car. I’m not sure why it takes so long, but it does.

I can count on one hand how many times I’ve personal pulled out the hose to wash my car. It’s so much easier to have someone else do it.

I went to Auto Bell which is a place that washes and details cars. Since I know how long it takes me to wash it, I decided to time them to see how long it would take.

By the time I’d checked my email, sent out a few tweets and outlined this blog post they were finished.

Ask me how long it took?

….15 minutes!

Yes, 15 minutes compared to my 2 hours.

At one point I decided a great way to save money was to do my own hair and only go to the salon once a month. It was a great idea on the weeks I had a hair appointment, but not so great on the weeks I had to do it myself.

It takes about 4 hours for me to shampoo and style my hair from beginning to end. And afterwards, it still looks no where close to having that salon look. I quickly came to the conclusion it was better to let my hair stylist do my hair on a more regular basis saving me 4 hours, tired arms, and frustration. In addition, I’m able to read, sleep, work, relax while she does my hair.

Deciding on what to outsource for business is very similar to this. You have to decide which tasks best utilize your time and increase profits, and which are just as valuable, but not profitable.

As you’re going through your work day, write down everything you do and how long it takes you.

Here is a list of possible tasks to outsource:

Learning

Are you always reading blog posts, making notes, jotting down this, jotting down that? Are you able to filter what’s useful for your business today?

It’s very easy to get so wrapped up into learning the latest thing, that you lose focus of what’s important for today. If you haven’t created a product to sell, it’s pre-mature to research shopping carts.

Because you are the visionary of your business, it’s easy to be so far into the future that you miss steps in the present which clog your filter.

If your filter is clogged it’s time to outsource or scratch off the learning for a while and go into all out action mode.

A Virtual Assistant (VA) can go through the information and note things specific that you can take action on immediately for your business.

Email Support

If you have frequent teleclasses or sell your own products, either digital or otherwise, at some point you’ll need customer support separate from yourself. Outsource the emails to a VA who can represent your company. This allows you to be focused on creating more products.

Social Media

Are you getting too emotionally involved when it comes to selecting blog posts or quotes to post on social media? Not sure?

Are you spending too much time deciding which blog post, what question, and which inspirational quote fits the right mood and topic for the day?

You know tweets only last for so many minutes. It’s highly unlikely someone is reading every single update you post for the day.

And if they are, it’s not likely they’re tracking the categories of your post or the relativity of your quote as it relates to your status updates for the day. Sounds silly, then you understand how much of a relief outsourcing this one task will be.

Reading

Ever sat down to read the newspaper or magazine and then realize there are only a few articles you’re really interested in reading, however when you realize this an hour has passed?

Imagine if you gave this task to your VA and asked her to note all of the articles relative to your business, then you would only be reading relevant information and not getting distracted by the other articles.

Apply this same philosophy when it comes to reading or researching information online.

If you’re only reading 3 posts as opposed to 10, you’re taking less time away from your income generating activities.

Web Updates

This is probably the first thing most people consider outsourcing, however if you’re in WordPress you can do some updates yourself.

So what to outsource in WordPress? Anything that takes you longer than 5 minutes. Does it require coding? Does it require research? Is it more technically involved than you choose to go?

Newsletter/Blog Posts

Do you know how long it takes for a good VA to update your newsletter and send you a test copy? 30 minutes at the most, and that’s being generous. Of course, if you’ve got more than one feature article and lots of updates to events, a calendar, products, etc. it’s going to take longer. I’m referring to simple newsletters using AWeber one that has your editor’s note, feature article, where you are in 2011, and a quick tip.

The next time you go to update your own blog posts and test your newsletter, time yourself. How long does it take? If it’s taking you longer than 30 minutes, ask yourself why you’re still spending time on this task instead of investing in a VA?

And if you’re doing this 2 times a week, ask yourself what you could be doing during this time instead.

Web Updates

This is probably the first thing most people consider outsourcing, however if you’re in WordPRess you can do some updates yourself.

So what to outsource in WordPress? Anything that takes you longer than 5 minutes. Does it require coding? Does it require research? Is it more technically involved than you choose to go?

Graphic Design

I’m really shocked when I see business owners asking questions about how to do banner ad designs. What could take you hours to figure out, may just take a graphics designer minutes to complete. It’s really tempting to play with clipart, colors and the draw feature in PaintShop, however while you’re working on that, that’s one less product created, one less article written, and one client missed as a result.

This list is to give you an idea of what to outsource.

There are many other tasks you can outsource. Many business owners find expansion only comes when they are able to free up time and focus on what generates direct profits.

Now it’s your turn, what other tasks can be outsourced? Share what challenges you have when it comes to outsourcing your busyness.

Tiffany D Parson, is the visionary and CEO behind Virtual Hired Hand. She helps busy online business owners maintain their online presence including their websites and social media. She is a coach and trainer to new virtual assistants and those looking to get started in the industry. She started her online business full-time in 2008. Meet Tiffany »

In Order To Launch You May Have To End Something

tiffany — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 13:18:47 +0000

In Order To Launch You May Have To End Something

“In many contexts, until we let go of what is not good, we will never find something that is good. The lesson: good cannot begin until bad ends.” Necessary Endings by Henry Cloud

Today’s post is a private conversation from one service provider to another. You may be a virtual assistant, graphics designer, coach, author, or mentor. At some point you may have felt those you served undervalued what you do and you’re left with some tough decisions.

Most recently I’ve been put in this place. Well I won’t say recently, it has just come to a point where an ending was necessary.

It terrified me to think that my highest paying client would have to be let go.

It was on a training call for VAs and CEOs that my mentor and her assistant co-hosted. On this call, as they discussed the different sides of the coin and how it’s really a partnership and how you both must respect one another mutually that it really brought to light the conditions I’d put myself under. I had allowed someone to cross all boundaries with me and put up with it for the sake of money.

At what point do you draw the line?

If I were in a corporate setting and being sexually harassed or mistreated because of my race, I would not stand for it and it would immediately be reported.

But was does a business owner do. How does a solopreneur handle being mistreated by a client when they need the money?

It’s easy to say, yeah I wouldn’t put up with that. Not so easy to say when you’re in the situation.

As my business grew and I begin to learn more and more who Virtual Hired Hand is and what exactly we’d provide for our clients, behind the scenes I was being misused.

I’ve had clients who wanted me to be available to pick up the phone simply because they called. It’s not possible otherwise I’d never complete any projects.

What I do is no different than what you do. It takes concentration and focus. And besides I love my work and I love being alone uninterrupted working.

Often times, I’ll sit in my car and do work because it’s the quietest place aside from the bathroom to get things done.

For some reason my car is the one place my mind is able to completely relax and be most creative. You see in the house there’s so much I could be doing, that even though no one may be talking, my laundry speaks, the papers on my desk speak, and any unfinished chores all speak to me.

If you’re an organizing junkie, you’re probably thinking, well clean it up, organize it. Not so simple for someone who draws a plan before rearranging furniture in her bedroom or has to visualize the clean before it’s actually done. Yeah, that’s me, but I love me and I’ve decided to no longer be undervalued or mistreated by anyone. So I gave a 30 day notice to my biggest client and I’m petrified. And guess what?

God checked me so quick, I had to expose myself. He told me, you’re more dependent on them than you are on me.

You see I wouldn’t have realized that had I not taken action. I would still be on pins and needles and hesitating to check email because of what I didn’t want to see at the end of my business day.

I’ve learned to shut it off and boundaries are a must.

As a service provider it’s difficult to know when and where you should cut things off. Each day I learn more and more when that should happen.

Did I just completely unload on you? Probably so. However, I pray my transparency will release you from whatever it is you’re going through.

And just know there’s something even great coming. You see we’re focusing more on actually servicing clients as opposed to being doers of tasks.

Yes all task get done, however we have so much more to offer. The sad part is even though my website and free offer are at the bottom of my signature to some people I’ll still be the help. I’m learning everyday how to identify those personalities and excuse them before we even get started.

If you provide a service and aren’t sure the signs of when to let someone go here they are.

When is it time to say goodbye?

When you’re being disrespected.

When your time is not valued.

When you’ve done all you can to correct a situation.

When you find yourself tensing up before you even check email because of what might be in your inbox.

And if you already know you should let them go and are concerned about finances or what will they think, consider this. What will
things look like when you’re able to free yourself. I was able to see myself writing and creating more than I’ve ever done in the last 3 years.

I was able to feel confident in the specialty that I provide. My value was too tied up into how I was being treated and the only way to kill that dragon is to slay it.

“Getting to the next level always requires ending something, leaving it behind, and moving on. Growth itself demands that we move on. Without the ability to end things, people stay stuck, never becoming who they are meant to be, never accomplishing all that their talents and abilities should afford them.

In business, endings often are absolute necessities for a turnaround or for growth to occur. Necessary Endings by Henry Cloud

Say goodbye.

If this is something you’ve been struggling with or you’ve mishandled someone, we’re all human. And in that we’re all worthy.

Now it’s your turn please share how something you ended turned out to be the best decision you could have made.

Tiffany D Parson, is the visionary and CEO behind Virtual Hired Hand. She helps busy online business owners maintain their online presence including their websites and social media. She is a coach and trainer to new virtual assistants and those looking to get started in the industry. She started her online business full-time in 2008. Meet Tiffany »

Beyond Your Blog: The Keys To Getting Beyond the Written Word with Teleclasses

tiffany — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 08:44:54 +0000

Beyond Your Blog: The Keys To Getting Beyond the Written Word with TeleclassesSpeaking on the telephone can be just as scary as speaking before a live audience. What makes it so scary?

1. The Numbers-

Imagine you’re preparing to go on stage to speak and someone pops into your dressing room to let you know 3500 tickets have been sold and they’re expecting to sell out before the event starts.

How would you feel? Nervous as all get out that’s for sure.

When I’m acting in a play, I never like to be told how many people are in the audience. If someone says something about it I start imagining each and every person sitting in their seats times two for each eyeball that will be looking at me.

Sometimes it’s best not to know the final numbers until you get comfortable with being on the stage. Sure, you want to know how well your event is doing, but when it’s nearing showtime, it’s not helpful at all.

Let’s take that into a teleclass environment.

Clearly, it may be hard not to see how many people are on your call. As soon as you log into Instant Teleseminar or Free Conference Calling and go to your event you can see how many people are waiting for your arrival. If you’re using webinar software such as WebEx or GoToMeeting you can also see who’s logged in.

This causes the nerves to flair up even more. In both scenarios you are eventually going to see the audience so why not visualize them long before they get there.

See yourself in the moment. Imagine the number of callers that you’re comfortable with and go from there. If necessary, hire a Virtual Assistant to assist with your online events and moderate the phone lines. This way you don’t have to see how many are on the call as you are speaking.

2. The Silence-

On a teleclass you will more than likely have your audience muted during your presentation and possibly take questions at the end. How do you handle taking a breath or a sip of water and hearing absolute silence?

When you’re speaking at a live event you can see the body language of your audience and know whose with you and who you’ve completely lost. Teleclasses aren’t so simple.

Imagination is key for speaking at your teleclasses. Channel your inner child and go back to when you had an imaginary friend, dolls, or played make believe.

Growing up I was always teaching my dolls. I would line them up and write on my chalkboard teaching the night’s lesson based on my homework assignment in school. I’d imagine them asking me different questions and even sometimes not paying attention. My young mind was able to draw from my experiences in school in addition to using my imagination.

There was usually at least one doll who would be talking to someone while I was talking or one who needed me to repeat what I just said and of course there was the one with the endless questions. As their teacher it was my job to handle any situation that came up.

During your teleclasses when there is dead silence, imagine your audience diligently taking notes, nodding their heads, or speaking back to you affirming the information. Think of possible questions they may have such as the terms you are using. Explain in detail as if someone asked for clarification and speak in the language of your audience. For example, in my teleclasses and blog talk radio show I refer to URLs or domain names as web addresses or website because everyone may not understand what I’m talking about.

3. The Wait-

Think of your mentors or someone you admire. How many people also consider them a mentor and admire them? Imagine if they never took action and got their message or idea out to the world.

What you do not only affects you, but those around you. When you hold onto what you have to offer the world you put others in a state of waiting. Is your message for you and you alone or is it for other people? Only you know the answer to that question. If you are to speak your message and you’re afraid, it’s normal. But being so afraid you never act is the most scary of all.

Those who are waiting for you will find someone else who has what they are looking for, but wouldn’t it be better if it were you.

Tiffany D Parson, is the visionary and CEO behind Virtual Hired Hand. She helps busy online business owners maintain their online presence including their websites and social media. She is a coach and trainer to new virtual assistants and those looking to get started in the industry. She started her online business full-time in 2008. Meet Tiffany »

Comparing Yourself To Others Is Unnecessary Pressure

tiffany — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 20:52:42 +0000

Comparing Yourself To Others Is Unnecessary Pressure

Are you guilty of comparing yourself or your business to someone else? Aren’t we all?

When you look at things from the outside it’s silly to compare yourself to someone who’s been working online for many years.

It’s unfair to expect to have your website to be all set within a couple of days, especially if you’re doing it yourself. It takes a while to get into a comfortable place with yourself and your business. By making comparisons you put unnecessary pressure on yourself.

If you’ve ever moved into a new home or apartment you know it takes a while to get comfortable in the space and decide how you’d like to decorate it. It may take you years to figure out what color to paint the walls or maybe you’re still sitting on those builder white walls because you’re afraid of making a bad choice or wasting money.

I understand because my walls are still builder white and for some reason I’ve not been able to commit to a color other than beige. I’m sure my renters have done more decorating than I ever did.

When it comes to your website the same rules apply.

The funny thing is you have no idea what has taken place behind the scenes. You don’t know if they’ve outsourced their entire website so they could focus on revenue generating business or if they spent 10 or more hours getting everything “perfect.” And you don’t know how many revisions, tweaks, and updates have taken place during the various stages of their business.

We’ve gone through several different website designs since our first website launch in 2008. I won’t go into that story right now, but you can check it out »here«.

It takes time to get comfortable in your online space, just like your home. And if you’re one of those who completely furnished, painted, and decorated your home within the first 90 days according to exactly what you wanted without any assistance, more power to you. We need your secret:)

But that’s not the norm. For the most part it takes a year or so to adjust to a new home, especially if you are a first time home buyer. When you’re used to living in a dorm or apartment, having a permanent residence takes a while to sink in.

And if you’re single, it may take even more time because you get to make all of the decisions yourself. What type counter tops, flooring? And will it be the same in the master bath as the guest bath? Should your guest bedroom be an office, bedroom, or den? You have all of the choices to make and no deadline because your home is yours.

Your website is similar except there is a deadline. You do want to get things up and running, but there’s no deadline as to when everything is going to be just right for you.

Do you know why? Because things change, your taste changes, and technology is forever changing.

Just a few months ago we weren’t thinking about Google+ and how to incorporate it into our business model. And several years before that we weren’t tweeting anything. The only Tweetie Bird we knew was being chased by Sylvester the cat from the Bugs Bunny cartoon.

It’s a guarantee things will change. When it comes to your website, stand in the now and get what’s required up and running so you can start achieving your business goals and leave the comparisons for shopping.

If you’re just getting started or revamping your website start with the basics use PayPal for your shopping cart and then grow to something else like 1ShoppingCart. When it comes to themes for your WordPress website, if you aren’t able to get a paid theme such as Thesis, go with a free one remembering that you can always change it later. Your website is like the infant bed that grows as your child grows. When things need to be changed at the next level, do so, nothing is etched in stone.

You set the standard for when and where you want to be based on the deadline that you choose for yourself. Move forward at the level you are at and before you know it, you just may be sailing way beyond so and so who you were comparing yourself.

Now it’s your turn. Please share in the comments below, what will you do to stop comparing yourself to others and how will you move forward, quickly, TODAY?

Tiffany D Parson, is the visionary and CEO behind Virtual Hired Hand. She helps busy online business owners maintain their online presence including their websites and social media. She is a coach and trainer to new virtual assistants and those looking to get started in the industry. She started her online business full-time in 2008. Meet Tiffany »

Let’s Celebrate, There’s Still Time!

tiffany — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 17:10:49 +0000

Let’s Celebrate, There’s Still Time!

I’m so honored that you took the time to read this today. It’s the last day of August and I’m grateful for that. It’s hump day and I wanted to bring you some joy and encouragement.

Did you know that the number 8 means new beginnings? Doing something new can be uncomfortable, scary, unsettling, or exciting, exhilarating and uplifting.

Whichever emotion applies to you, I’m with you and understand completely.

Depending what the new beginning is it can trigger all of these feelings. The biggest challenge is not to allow any of those feelings to get you stuck. Even in our excitement we can still get stuck.

Today, reflect on those new beginnings and decide what actions you’ll take to propel yourself forward into September.

Fall is quickly approaching which means holidays and end of the year celebrations are just around the corner. Head spin, I know, lots to think about and lots to do before the year is over.

Have you given yourself grace in regards to what you have not completed and celebrated for what you have completed?

Today, grace yourself and accept what you have not done. Realize you’ve got time to get it done and then come up with a strategy plan. Put it on the calendar with a set deadline. Post it on your wall so you can see it every day. And have a party when you’re able to cross it off. Woohoo! This is what I’ll be doing today as well.

September is a great time for birthing things since it’s the 9th month. Will it be your eBook, teleclass, product, or something else completely unrelated to your business?

Prepare for it and create your strategy now on those plans. If you need someone to hold you accountable post it on Facebook and Twitter with a timeframe. For example, if you plan to start a new workout regimen, let everyone know about it. Rest assured they’ll be at least one person following up with you regarding your status.

When hundreds, no thousands of friends are supporting you and some asking you how did it go, what did you do, you’ll see to it that you follow through on what you said.

As the season changes not just with the weather but in your business as well, grace yourself to feel the normal feelings that come with new starts and releasing something new. Allow yourself to embrace joy which comes from within.

Before I head off to Staples and get a nice pretty calendar so I can plan my end of the year strategy, I found some great quotes of encouragement from Joyce Meyer. The last one just makes you want to scream, holler, run, and then do something!

By Joyce Meyer

“Courage is fear that has said its prayers and decided to go forward anyway.”

“Put your expectations on God, not on people.”

“Our joy does not have to be based on our circumstances.”

“Strive for excellence, not perfection, because we don’t live in a perfect world.”

“God doesn’t tell you to do hard things so He can stand back and laugh and watch you struggle. He tells you to do things the things that He knows are gonna work out to your good in the end.”

Let’s hold each other accountable. Share in the comments below 1 or 2 new things you plan to put into action before the end of this year.

Tiffany D Parson, is the visionary and CEO behind Virtual Hired Hand. She helps busy online business owners maintain their online presence including their websites and social media. She is a coach and trainer to new virtual assistants and those looking to get started in the industry. She started her online business full-time in 2008. Meet Tiffany »

Confessions and My So-Called Virtual Life Vol. I

tiffany — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 18:18:01 +0000

Confessions and My So-Called Virtual Life Vol. I

I’m having crazy writer’s block and it’s driving me nuts. I’ve been waking up in the middle of the night with what I thought to be a great blog post only to find that in the morning, ummm not so much; not enough words, too high of a Flesch-Kincaid score. Is it possible to have a Flesch-Kincaid score that’s too low? Random thought I’ll have to research).

My mom gave me the best advice I’ve heard this week as I was headed out to teach my chair aerobics class. She said, “It’s good you have your class today so you can think about something else.”

I felt relieved and much lighter when she said that to me. Funny how it made me more creative in class today even. When I’m teaching as much as I try to prepare choreography, it doesn’t work. It’s comforting, but when I get in class I let the music lead our body movements and they love it.

Although I do get a few…”whew, “I’m tired”, “oh my”, “boy is she going fast.” I love that stuff! If it wasn’t working for them, they wouldn’t keep coming or feel comfortable enough to express themselves in that way.

When you’re staring at a blank page or computer screen and admittedly have writer’s block, do you think sitting at the screen or paper will make a difference?

I’m here to tell you it won’t. You’ll just be frustrated and maybe lose some sleep or a meal along the way.

Maybe it’s just me, but I think we’re trying to please the wrong people. Being more focused on what Google thinks and how Alexa (the ranking website where the lower your score the better) will score us is killing our creativity.

And if we don’t use our creativity as one of my chair aerobics students said today “If you don’t move it, you’ll lose it!” If you had no blog, no website, no business, no idea, no nothing, you’d be another worker living in preparation to die.

Your blog, your website, your business, your idea, it’s a lifeline into who you are. It keeps you on track, focused, and gets you closer to the authentic you that God created.

Imagine that!

It’s a wonderful thing when you can rejoice even when you can’t write a thing. One thing is for sure while my writer’s block may peak it’s ugly head, it will not win. In fact, I know it’s resistance keeping me from you.

Keeping me from making a difference, making you think, and challenging traditions. It knows that if I let my creativity run wild, I’ve got something to say that’s going to be way beyond the cubicle wall or the hustle and bustle of downtown.

I was born to worship, praise, and challenge the thought of going to college and getting a “good” job. Oh no, not me. I jump out on faith everyday and am excited to see the next.

It’s a wild and fun life when you’re able to make money from your computer and it doesn’t matter the amount, there’s a certain rush that comes with it.

Today I got my 3rd affiliate check from Commission Junction and it’s $107.59. I got an email the other day from PayLoadz that I made a sale and earned $4.49, all from writing.

It may not be a lot to you, but for every multimillionaire online, they had to start from some where. For every little accomplishment that comes it’s leading to something BIG, BIG, BIG!

Take time today and appreciate the small while in expectation for the BIG!

Oh and if you’re still trying to write for Google, last I checked, Google can’t tweet, like, comment, or make a purchase on your blog. Yes, it can push you to the top of the ranking, but it can’t click on your link or do any of the other call to actions we want to occur.

So why are we playing the Google game? And some even considering it a “friend.” Absolutely not! Google ain’t your friend. It’s not your foe, but “friend?” Way too strong.

Your readers are the most important people when it comes to your website. If they never came to visit you, your blog would be invisible and Google would turn its back on it. Your readers are the ones that get you noticed by Google and Alexa.

Focus on the value of your content and the search engines and other site ranking websites won’t get enough of you. You won’t be able to keep Google from looking at you.

Change the focus on your website to your readers. Let them know you appreciate them by responding to their comments. They did take the time to give your site some lovin’, didn’t they?

Continue knocking the socks off your readers with unbelievable content and value, before you know it, you’ll be the most popular site on the block. Then Google will sing your praises with high rankings and Alexa will give you low marks, which are great in her world.

If you’ve been kissing up to Google and not your reader’s, if you’ve got any readers left, go and apologize to them. A free gift would be nice too;)

I’d better get back to my pad and pen, I’ve got a blog post to write.

Much love,

Does any of this resonate with you? Please do share in the comments below, I give love back:)

Tiffany D Parson, is the visionary and CEO behind Virtual Hired Hand. She helps busy online business owners maintain their online presence including their websites and social media. She is a coach and trainer to new virtual assistants and those looking to get started in the industry. She started her online business full-time in 2008. Meet Tiffany »

Living By Divine Design Starts With Observing You

tiffany — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 08:44:49 +0000

Living By Divine Design Starts With Observing You

Enjoying the freedom of Monday morning. No doom and gloom here. Each Monday I am overjoyed that I get to choose PJs, jeans or shorts for the day’s work outfit. It’s usually jeans or shorts because they make me feel alive, grateful, and ready for the excitement of the day.

Today, I’m at the park enjoying the sunshine and somewhat cool breeze drinking a cup of coffee from Dunkin’. I just started drinking coffee last year. Something about it makes me feel creative and artsy. It’s also calming. Maybe that’s why so many would hang in the break room at work every morning fixin’ and mixin’ sugar with tea or coffee as they shared their weekend adventures and then slowly walked to their cubes to start the work day. It’s amazing the difference a few years brings. You couldn’t pay me to work in a cube or wear a suit. Not doing it.

When I started as a freelancer, I tried to make it fit into what I thought I wanted my days to look like. I wanted to be free from the cubicle nightmare, rudeness in the parking garage, and sheer disregard in the elevators. However I created an at home job for myself instead of a business. I worked from sun up to sun down.

I had to report to my computer at a set time early in the morning and was there way too long without a break. I began to resent projects and clients until I realized that I was the one who placed myself in this box. Then I began to narrow my focus and just seek projects I enjoyed. Website maintenance, WordPress blogs, eNewsletters, teleclasses, social media, were the core services we’d provide and being able to travel, write, and create freely from the road was more fitting for me.

What does living by divine design look like for you?

I find great joy in what I do and am learning to get out of swapping hours for money and really establishing my business as a point of reference for building your online presence with your website, social media, teleclasses, and anything else you do online virtually to build your business.

In September, we’re launching a full learning center to help you get over any fears of starting as a freelancer, hosting a teleclass, or moving your website into WordPress. These are all things I could talk with you about for hours. When you’re doing what you’ve been called to do the strength you need comes from God.

How do you know the what you’re doing is what you’ve been called to do?

You don’t try doing it, it just flows, more like oozes from the top of your head to the tips of your toes.

Your family knows it, your friends know it, your followers know it, however you may not know it because it comes so easy.

Who said your "it" had to be hard?

If it were hard, would you look forward to doing it? Would you even be able to make money from it?

The hard part is accepting the thing that comes naturally, effortlessly, involuntarily to you, is the very thing that God placed inside of you to create wealth.

Too many of us hold on to tradition because that’s what "they’ve" been telling us to do all of our lives. When my mom was growing up there were three prestigious professions – doctor, lawyer, teacher. Many people are still in that same mindset and are passing it on to their kids. You might be a victim of it as well.

Are you hearing a small voice that says "Yeah, I really enjoy doing such and such, but I don’t understand how I can make money from that."

Who said you had to understand it? The Bible says to lean not unto your own understanding. If you’ve been called to be a baker, why are you trying to understand the art of staging homes?

Can you believe I almost went back to school for nursing because at the time healthcare was being reported as a stable field where you could make good money? Before that it was computers.

I learned quickly I was not meant for nursing when one Sunday, a minister at our church fell flat on his face in the middle of our worship gathering. The healthcare ministry immediately raced to the stage to assist. I froze and prayed "Lord, please don’t let him be dead." I’m a mortician’s daughter, maybe that’s why death was my initial response. Either way I was grateful he wasn’t dead and thankful that God had clearly answered absolutely not to my thought of becoming a nurse.

Stick with what you do and allow God to use you mightily.

I had no idea when I started in May 2008 that my writing would actually get be read, that I’d translate geek speak so clients could understand the world of technology, and make connections with people all over the world from my computer.

Life is beautiful when you’re in order and not comparing your life to someone else. You have no idea what was required to get them to where they are now. God’s called you to something great starting with where you are right NOW.

Be an observer of you. What do you find great pleasure in that is effortless for you, something you could get lost in for hours regardless of pay? That is the core of where your success will come. It doesn’t matter what it is. Whether you’re an extreme couponer, gadget geek, or avid reader, someone is waiting to learn from you, buy from you, and be served by you.

Take hold of the gift God has given you and create the wealth He’s set aside for you.

Now it’s your turn, please share the thing that’s held you back along with what you’ve done or will do to propel yourself forward and live the divine design God has already created for you.

Tiffany D Parson, is the visionary and CEO behind Virtual Hired Hand. She helps busy online business owners maintain their online presence including their websites and social media. She is a coach and trainer to new virtual assistants and those looking to get started in the industry. She started her online business full-time in 2008. Meet Tiffany »

The Fall of Borders Reveals Lessons for Online Businesses

tiffany — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 09:26:26 +0000

What’s the name of the last book you bought; where did you get it?

Did you reach out to Borders, Barnes & Noble, go online to their websites or did you go straight to Amazon?

An unscientific poll of my Facebook friends showed that most people preferred Amazon first, then Barnes & Noble. For the few that went to Borders, they made it clear that location was the main reason, otherwise, they’d got to Barnes & Noble if they actually went into a store.

A couple people informed me that Borders was closing, which I found to be funny. Yes, they’re closing, but they’re not closed yet. Borders stores are significantly discounting their books, but it doesn’t make me want to rush out to the store even though they’re right up the street from my house.

Why are we choosing instead to order from Barnes & Noble and Amazon when Borders is practically begging us to come in and buy something?

Some articles say Borders is more expensive. The last eBook I purchased was “Heaven is for Real”. I ordered it from Amazon for $5 without blinking or considering other store options.

Here’s a quick comparison of this book in an eBook and Book format as of the date of this article:

Borders: eReader Book $5.00, book $11.89

Barnes & Noble: Nook Book $8.99, book $9.43

Amazon: Kindle Book $5.00, Book $9.34

Borders and Amazon have the same price for the eBook. Why are we choosing Amazon over Borders for our eBooks?

On my iPad, I have apps for the Kindle, Nook and iBook, I didn’t know Borders had an eReader until I started looking up information about their bankruptcy.

Did you know Borders has an eBook? It’s called a “Kobo.” Unlike Amazon and Barnes & Noble, Borders does not own the KoBo, instead they invested into it. This means while Borders is shutting down, Kobo lives on.

This is one of the mistakes Borders made and one we can all learn from when it comes to our websites.

There are lots of platforms you can choose from for your blog: Blogger, Tumblr, TypePad, WordPress.com, and WordPress.org. However, the only one that allows you to truly own the look, feel, and content of your website is WordPress.org. Matt Mullenweg, the creator of both WordPresses considers WordPress.com like renting a home and WordPress.org like buying a home.

You can invest time energy and funds into something else, however if you don’t own 100% of your website, things can get ugly really fast. Websites have been shutdown due to “inappropriate” content. Some platforms charge a fee to forward their web address to your own personal web address. Yes, that’s right you don’t own the web address if it’s yourdomain.theirurl.com. You’re just a subdomain of their domain.

Confusing, I know, but what’s important is not sharing your address with someone else. Can you blame them? They own it, and besides if you started with them and time has gone by, you’ve got a lot at stake when it comes to your website. That’s what their hoping for and know they can charge you to have it redirected if you want it bad enough.

Think about this, whether you’re able to generate an income from your website or not, if they decide it’s inappropriate and shut it down, their website keeps ticking as usual, just like Kobo with Borders. Kobo has made it clear, their product will continue working inspite of the closing of Borders.

If your ideal clients want content in various forms, give them what they want. If you don’t know, ask them. If they’d enjoy a teleclass, blog post with images, or a vlog that makes them feel as though you’re right in their living room, do so. While it was being announced that eBooks were outpacing regular Books, Borders failed to adapt to change.

You’d think Borders would have learned a lesson from their partnership with Amazon. Yes, that’s right, Borders, once had a JV like partnership with Amazon. Any products sold that were referred from the Borders site, Borders receive a commission based on the sell.

Were you one of Borders customers that clicked to purchase a book only to end up at Amazon?

Clearly Borders didn’t realize they were teaching us to browse their website, but shop at Amazon. This partnership ended in 2008, which is another shocker. Borders should have been more aware of the online business world than I was when I started in 2008.

Choose your partners wisely. You don’t want to join forces with a company that’s looking to take you out or who poses a threat to your livelihood.

Borders did not start selling their products on their own website until 2008 and they didn’t introduce an eReader until 2010. By this time, we had already been trained and conditioned by Amazon and Barnes & Noble. We came to love the look and feel of those websites and found Borders a bit uncomfortable so we didn’t stay long on the website or in the store for that matter.

Take away: Make your customers feel at home when they come to visit. If your place is full of clutter, overcrowded, or confusing to navigate, they’ll get frustrated and leave.

The whole thing makes me sad because it didn’t have to be this way. When I took the pictue at the top of this post, I felt like a sleazy photographer for the tabloids. It felt like I was taking a picture of a celebrity at their most vulnerable state.

Once this store officially closes its doors, we’ll have a huge eyesoar at the center of our mall while employees look for work and mall owners hope for new tenants. All the while the Internet will continue to flourish and not miss a beat.

The story of Borders provides major lessons for all of us online business owners as well as those looking to get started. By being a part of the insulated bubble of the Internet, we can quickly adjust to the changes, grasp new technologies, and conduct numerous tests to see what works and what doesn’t for our ideal clients. The Internet allows us to easily pull back our failures while continuing to aim for success.

You don’t want to be the next Borders, riding the wave of your competitors in hopes for the crumbs that fall as a result of the sells you send them.

-Be wise-

-Be diligent-

-Be action focused-

If you were in a crowd and everyone started running, would you ask why everyone is running or run and ask questions later? Borders waited until the crowd was gone, then got a clue to start selling online and invest in an eReader.

When it comes to your online business:

Take action, start it, ask questions when you get there.

Now it’s your turn, share your thoughts on the closing of Borders. Does it change they way you see your online business?

Tiffany D Parson, is the visionary and CEO behind Virtual Hired Hand. She helps busy online business owners maintain their online presence including their websites and social media. She is a coach and trainer to new virtual assistants and those looking to get started in the industry. She started her online business full-time in 2008. Meet Tiffany »

Hot Topics: WordPress Questions Answered

tiffany — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:47:54 +0000

Hot Topics: WordPress Questions Answered

Today it’s “Ask Tiffany” day and I’ve gone through my Inbox and pulled out a few questions that are frequently asked when it comes to websites.

Being that I’m the WordPress Blog snob, when I say websites, I’m talking about WordPress. I’m also talking about your blog.

What is a Blog?

Blogs started out as online journals. However, they have quickly evolved into a platform to assist in spreading your message. It’s also a place for your clients and customers to get a feel for who you are through your writing.

I don’t think there’s a business out there that could not benefit from a blog. If you’re not sure what to do with your blog, that’s understandable, but to not have one is a huge mistake.

What’s the difference between your website and your blog?

It’s one in the same when you have a WordPress site. You can choose to have your blog as your homepage or a separate page.

How do I get people to my website?

If you surf the Internet long enough you’ll start believing there’s some type of magical thing that happens once you’ve arrived at #1 on Google. Or that if you put the right amount of select words on your website people will come in droves.

Wrong!

The first thing you want to do is start blogging valuable information. Using your blog as a calendar is a poor use of your online real estate. (Your website is your real estate online) Using it as an announcement board is also a bad idea.

Why would anyone care about your event or announcement if they have no idea who you are? Use your blog as an introduction to who you are not just as a business owner, but a person. It’s your online real estate to share your message.

Now you’re ready to drive people to your website.

Keywords are words specific to the topic of your blog post and website. Tags are words specific to your website in general.

Each time you create a new blog post, you want to select tags and write keywords. Within your WordPress website, you’ll find the tags in the right sidebar from the ‘Edit Post’ page and the keywords are entered below the editor of your blog post.

The best tip I ever got regarding keywords is to use words that someone doing a random web search would use to find a website like yours. You’d be surprised to learn what keywords your website comes up in when someone randomly searched on Google. The most interesting phrase I’ve seen for my website is “happy business owner”. Not sure how that happened:)

If you’re new to the Internet or your website has had very low traffic, more than likely people are not searching for you by name. It’s okay to use your name as a keyword, however it should not be the only one. You can Google “keyword tools” to find out what works best for you.

More than likely, you now have even more questions, join me in the Forever WordPress Community. We’ve got a very active private Facebook group and meet each week on a LIVE Teleseminar to answer your WordPress questions. Hope to see your there! Click here to join us.

Now it’s your turn. Share what WordPress questions you have or your experience being part of the Forever WordPress Community

Tiffany D Parson, is the visionary and CEO behind Virtual Hired Hand. She helps busy online business owners maintain their online presence including their websites and social media. She is a coach and trainer to new virtual assistants and those looking to get started in the industry. She started her online business full-time in 2008. Meet Tiffany »

Why AWeber and 3 Not So Obvious, But Very Important Things About MailChimp

tiffany — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 09:22:35 +0000

I’ve seen some pretty crappy email marketing systems. You know the ones that cause you to bite your nails, grit your teeth, and almost want to curse at it, while you get out the next newsletter or broadcast.

At this stage of the game, just hearing some product names I cringe because I know what systems would work so much better, however I’ve learned to not give advice unless I’m asked. Instead I keep my opinions to my blog.

When you’re first starting out you don’t know what you don’t know and you can only go by what you’ve been advised. When I first started paying attention to blogs, signing up for different free reports and later purchasing products I quickly noticed something in common with most of the people I enjoyed and admired online. They were all using AWeber for their sign-up forms, also called opt-ins.

From the outside looking in, you don’t really get it at first and maybe wonder if it’s the only tool offering this type of service. Of course I quickly learned the list could go on for days in regards to email marketing systems.

So how do you choose if you’re just getting started or getting more serious about your business?

You have two choices:

Go with what everyone else is using or

Take a gamble and try something few people you follow online online use because afterall, it’s FREE right?

The first eNewsletter I sent out, I used Constant Contact back in 2007. They offered a 14 day free trial. The only list I had at the time was from my art shows. After my sales presentation, I’d have everyone fill out a guest card which included their email addresses. Constant Contact allowed you to import names and emails without a confirmation which worked great in this case.

I didn’t know I should not put someone’s name and email address on a list and start emailing them without getting a confirmation or what’s called a double opt-in. I just had the paper with their email address on it and figured, if they put their email down surely they didn’t mind me sending an email.

After the trial period I chose not to sign-up. I’d go back and forth testing out Constant Contact over the next year or so, but never fully committing to their service. It was overwhelming and I didn’t have anything to say regularly to justify buying their service.

The second newsletter I sent out, I used MadMimi. It was a free product that lured me based on how easy it was to use and did I mention it was free? I had a small list of ladies I emailed regarding free fitness classes. By this time, I’d started Virtual Hired Hand and was fully aware of the power of email marketing. I also knew the importance of not just sending people mass emails because I had them in my personal address book, instead I emailed each person individually and sent them to a page where they could get signed up for my practice fitness sessions.

Madmimi served me well because I wasn’t selling anything, it was easy to use, and it was free. However, I knew once I got serious about sending emails it would not be my service of choice. There were many days I’d see tweets from them about the service being down and how emails were not going out. This would be a real pain if you were using it for a revenue generating business.

I am still in the trenches using other products for client projects since everyone does not use the same service. I won’t discuss each system my clients use and whether I’d give it a thumbs up or thumbs down. You can see my list of recommended resources to learn about that.

However, I do want to give a loud almost screaming warning to anyone using or considering MailChimp for their email marketing.

I was shocked to learn:

While they tell you it’s free up to 500 contacts, what they don’t tell you is that your contacts could be counted more than once.

Let’s say you’ve got three different list, one for your newsletter, one for a free teleclass, and one for a paid teleclass. If someone signs up for all three, guess how many times MailChimp counts them?
3 times. This means what you thought to be 1 contact has now become 3 because they are on 3 different lists. I couldn’t believe this. Unbelievable.

For every web form you create, you must also create a new list.

Let’s say you want a web form in your sidebar, on your promotion page, and one on your Facebook page. For tracking purposes you want three different forms, all going through the same series of follow messages and adding your contacts to one list. MailChimp will not allow you to do this. Instead you must create a list for each form you create.

Serious business owners are not using MailChimp. While some “experts” may consider it a nice service, are they using it? And if they are using it, how much revenue are they generating with this product?

Growing up I was not one to follow the crowd. I even took French because the majority of the people at my school were taking Spanish. However, there’s a reason “everyone” is doing it.

I tried out other systems that required you download software on your computer and send text emails only, however never found the right one. I ended up going back to the product that was used most frequently online. Working online you go with the crowd and ask questions when you get there.

AWeber has been my email service of choice for over a year now and I have not looked back.

Now it’s your turn. What have been your experiences with different email marketing systems? How did you choose?

Tiffany D Parson, is the visionary and CEO behind Virtual Hired Hand. She helps busy online business owners maintain their online presence including their websites and social media. She is a coach and trainer to new virtual assistants and those looking to get started in the industry. She started her online business full-time in 2008. Meet Tiffany »

Virtual Assistant Coach | Virtual Assistant Training | Become A Virtual Assistant | How To Get Started As A Freelancer | How To Get Start A Virtual Assistant Business | Charlotte NC Virtual Assistant

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9 Ways A Virtual Assistant Can Help With Your Online Spring Cleaning:

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Don’t Get Burned Out, Facebook Just Redesigned It’s Newsfeed

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Promote and Engage On Facebook

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Is Your Guard Up?

The New Social Search And Your Engagement

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HAPPY THANKSGIVING

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7 Articles To Improve Your Engagement On Social Media

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TTF Podcast: Stop Being The Collector of Learning And DO!

TTF Podcast: Stop Being The Collector of Learning And DO!with Tiffany Johnson

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The Visual Side Of Social Media In This Week’s Weekend Roundup

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TTF Podcast: What To Do When Feeling Isolated or Bored

TTF Podcast: What To Do When Feeling Isolated or Boredwith Tiffany Johnson

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Social Media Requires: Engage First, Ask Questions, Sell Us Later In This Week’s Weekend Roundup!

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I Heard Twitter Does Not Create Salesby Tiffany Johnson

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The Question Is Not How, But Why?

Why?

What are you going to do when they get there?

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Radical Changes And Your Social Media Will In This Weekend Roundup!

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with Tiffany Parson

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with Tiffany Parson

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by Tiffany Parson

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by Tiffany Parson

The Holiday Virtual Assistant

by Tiffany Johnson

TTF Podcast: Stop Being The Collector of Learning And DO!
with Tiffany Johnson

TTF Podcast: What To Do When Feeling Isolated or Bored
with Tiffany Johnson

I Heard Twitter Does Not Create Sales
by Tiffany Johnson

You’re Being Charged For Your Unsubscribes On AWeber
by Tiffany Johnson

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by Tiffany Johnson

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by Tiffany Johnson

Dream Job or What Comes Natural?
by Tiffany Johnson

Your Client’s Business IS Your Business
by Tiffany Johnson

Is The New Facebook Plugin For WordPress Worth It?

by Tiffany Johnson